As The World Crumbles
by purplepagoda
Summary: An eleven year old girl shows up at NCIS claiming to be Ziva's daughter. A daughter she has no idea exists. Will this girl be proven to be a liar, or will her claims prove true? What happens when the unthinkable happens? They will question everything.
1. Secrets, and Betrayal

The elevator ding does not register with the two men sitting at their desk in the squad room of NCIS. McGee plays on his computer, and DiNozzo reads a magazine. A girl gets off the elevator, and moves towards him. Her footfalls are silent. She stops at Tony's desk. She speaks before he notices her presence.

"Excuse me, I was wondering if you could help me."

Tony looks up. The girl, of about eleven, or twelve stands before Tony. He stares at her in disbelief. Her hair is long, and dark. It is braided tightly, stopping a third of the way down her back. Her deep brown eyes stare at him. Her lips barely move as she speaks. She stands perfectly still. Before he can even ask a question, he knows what she's looking for.

"I'm Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, how can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Ziva David."

"She's off today, can I help you?"

"No, she is the only one who can help me. She is the only one who can stop this."

"Stop what? I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"That is because I did not give one."

"Where are you from? Who are you here with?"

"It does not matter."

"Israel?"

"I need to speak to Ziva."

"She is not here."

"You do not understand what is going on. She has to stop it."

"Why don't you tell me your name, and we will go from there?"

"Why does it matter?"

"I am asking. I'm guessing that it's Hebrew for princess, or something?"

"No it's Arabic for, stop asking stupid questions."

Tony looks at McGee who is watching the girl, "Probie remind me what that name is again."

"Don't look at me," McGee replies.

Tony directs his attention back to the girl. "Name, and we can discuss how to get a hold of Ziva."

"I could kill you without you even seeing me move," she reveals.

"What are you ten?"

"Eleven."

"It is good manners to introduce yourself to someone, when you meet them."

"I'm Hannah?"

"What kind of name is Hannah?"

"It is a Hebrew name that blends in to American culture."

"Ok, Hannah, where are your parents?"

"I don't know, I have never met them."

"Why do you need to find Ziva?"

"Mossad is attempting to build an army of assassins."

"To do what, exactly?"

"To kill."

"What do you mean by build an army of assassins? Are they recruiting candidates?"

"No. They don't have to recruit them."

"Where are they getting them?"

"They are growing them."

"Growing them? How are they growing them?"

"From the beginning," Hannah answers.

"I don't understand."

"They are taking genetic material from the worlds best assassins, and putting them together in a lab. They implant the embryos into a surrogate. After the surrogate gives birth the child, or children are taken to a training camp to be raised."

"Without the biological parents knowledge?"

"Yes," she nods.

"This sounds like some sort of conspiracy theory. Why would Mossad do that? How long have they been doing it?"

"It is not a conspiracy. It is real. They have been doing it for a very long time. The oldest is fifteen. He is so well trained that they may auction him off to the highest bidder, in order to continue funding the project."

"How could you possibly know this?"

"Because I am one of them. I am eleven, how else do you think I would be capable of getting from Israel, to here, without anyone with me, without any help?"

"You're serious?"

"Serious about what, DiNozzo?" Gibbs questions as he comes into the room.

"She's an assassin."

Gibbs stops in front of the girl. He smiles, "How old are you?"

"Eleven."

"Eleven? How does an eleven year old become an assassin?"

"I do not wish to be an assassin, that is the problem," Hannah answers.

"Boss this is Hannah. Hannah was just telling me about how Mossad is growing assassins."

"Growing assassins? How?"

"They are some how coming up with the worlds greatest assassin's dna, and creating them in a lab."

"They are trying to grow super soldiers?"

"Yes sir," Hannah nods.

"You are one of them?" Gibbs questions.

"They will come looking for me. Ziva has to stop them."

"Why Ziva?"

"She is the only one who can."

"You are sure that it is Mossad who is behind it?" Tony asks.

"It was Eli David's pet project," Hannah answers.

Gibbs points to Ziva's empty office chair. "Sit," he insists to Hannah. "DiNozzo get a hold of Ziva. McGee, get Vance down here."

"Yes, boss," Tony, and Tim respond in unison.

Gibbs studies Hannah. "Hannah I need you to tell me everything you know."

"There are twenty nine of us. Adam is the oldest, he is fifteen. The youngest, Cain is four months old."

"How did you get here? Who knows that you are here?"

"I used a fake name on my passport. I don't know who knows I'm here, I hope nobody."

"Why did you come here?"

"Eli David is not your ally."

"And Ziva?"

"She does not know the lengths her father has gone to turn her into exactly what he wanted, unfortunately, she is none of them now."

"Ziva's on her way in from the airport," Tony announces.

"Vance is on his way down," Tim adds.

Gibbs nods in acknowledgement.

"Hannah can you tell me any names?"

"Of the children? The caretakers? The instructors? The mastermind? The biological donors?"

"Do any of the donors know?"

"No. None of them consented, either."

"How did Mossad get the opportunity to collect any genetic material from them?"

"Mossad officers often get hurt, and wind up in the hospital. They also quite frequently hit their head, and lose consciousness."

"How did you find this out?"

"They are creating us to be weapons. They want us to be the smartest, and the toughest. They want us to blend in to any situation. Did you notice my accent?"

"Not really."

"That is for good reason. We are trained to speak ten languages by the age of six. Do you know what it is like to think in six different languages? We later focus on major language, and how not to be identified not as a native speaker. We are trained how to be undetected. We learn how to use technology to create fake identities."

"You're saying that they trained you too well?"

"They trained me to follow orders, to not question them..."

"But after a while, any one begins to question."

"Most do not have the need for answers that I do."

"You have names?"

Hannah unhooks the leather bracelet from around her wrist. It has a Star of David on it. She places it in Gibbs hands.

"The star can be removed. Underneath it is a computer chip, it has everything you need to know on it."

"I want to know what brought you here? Why did you choose Ziva?"

"Most of the people on any of these lists, no long exist."

"Exist, or live?"

"Either, both. Most of the ones who still exist, would not be able to stop it. She can."

"Why?"

"When she is angry, she is a machine. When she is infuriated, she is unstoppable."

"You think this will infuriate her?"

"She is one of the names on the donor list," Hannah reveals.

"Did they use all of the donors on the list to create children?"

"No. Some were weeded out. Some were used, but a couple of the children did not meet the standards. Those children were given away, to someone, I have no idea who."

"Tell me about the suitable candidates."

"They would use them until they achieved success. They matched a female up with a male. They only used each match to make one child, in some cases two, but that was only by sheer accident. There are two sets of twins among the twenty nine. They chose the donors carefully. Except for the twins no one has the same parents. That is for a reason."

"They want to use the twenty nine of you to create more assassins? A second generation?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Are all of the donors people who have worked for Mossad?"

"No," she shakes her head.

"Why will Ziva be infuriated?"

"Wouldn't you be, if you had a child that you didn't know about?" she queries.

"Yes," Gibbs admits, "Does she?"

"Yes," Hannah nods.

"I am willing to be that her child is extremely gifted. Would I be correct?"

"She's the only one who managed to make it here," Hannah responds.

"Ziva is your mother?"

"Yes," Hannah nods.

"You are certain?"

"I've read the file. When she was sixteen she was in a car accident."

"You're telling me that Eli removed..."

"She was unconscious for twelve days. He saw her potential, and he decided that she was a perfect donor."

"How old are you?" He wonders.

"Eleven. My birthday is January Third 2000."

"She wasn't even eighteen when you were born?"

"She didn't give birth to me. She has no idea that I even exist."

The elevator doors open, and Ziva steps off the elevator. She stomps to Tony's desk. She drops her bad next to his desk.

"I was getting ready to get on an airplane. Whatever is going on better be good, or you are a dead man Tony."

"I am just the messenger. If you would like to direct your anger at anyone direct it at her," Tony points to Ziva's desk.

Ziva spins around, and looks at the girl sitting in her chair. Tony updates her, "Her name is Hannah, she's eleven, she is from Israel. She has a really interesting story to tell you, and I wouldn't suggest engaging her, I think she could take you."

Ziva stares at the little girl. She furrows her brow, upon realizing that the little girl is eerily similar to her as a child. Ziva steps forward. She extends her hand, "I am Ziva,," she introduces.

"Hannah," the girl smiles.

"Hannah could you give Ziva, and I a moment?" Gibbs suggests. Hannah nods and vacates the seat. She walks over to McGee's desk. Gibbs points to the chair. Ziva takes a seat, and looks at him questioningly.

"What's going on? Where is she from? Who is she? Why is Tony calling me at the airport saying that it's an emergency?"

"She claims that she's your daughter."


	2. Going Through Changes

"My daughter? I will admit she may resemble me, but I think I would tell you if I had a daughter."

"I never said you wouldn't."

"I think that I would know if I had a daughter. That is something people typically remember."

"Take Hannah downstairs to the lab. Have Abby test your DNA against hers. I just want to be sure."

"She is not my daughter. I do not have a daughter," Ziva argues.

"She's eleven."

"Eleven? I would have been seventeen when she was born. Gibbs do you really believe her? What has she told you?"

"When you were sixteen did you have a car accident?"

"Yes. Why is that relevant?"

"How long were you unconscious?"

"Twelve days," Ziva reveals.

"She knew that."

"How?"

"She's brilliant."

"How did she get here?"

"You should ask her."

"Why is she here?"

"Because of your father."

"My father? What has he done now?"

"Hannah claims that for over fifteen years he has been attempting to create an army of assassins."

"I think that I would know about that."

"According to Hannah you had genetic material removed from you. It was used to create her."

"Like cloning?" she furrows her brow.

"More like using a lab to create human embryos to put inside surrogates."

"Why? This is completely ridiculous."

"I agree."

"You believe her?" Ziva makes a realization.

"Yes," he nods.

"I do not understand, at all."

"Take her down to Abby's lab. Have her explain it. Do not let her out of your sight."

"You are afraid I will lose her?"

"I don't know who is looking for her."

"Ok," she nods.

As the elevator doors close with Ziva and Hannah inside, Vance comes down the stairs from MTAC. He enters the squad room, and approaches Gibbs.

"I was just in MTAC with Director David. He said that he would like to have project code named Nibal, back. He thinks that you may have it. He said that he would like to have all the property returned to him immediately."

"Did he mention what that property included, Leon?"

"No," Leon admits.

"You should learn all the facts before you agree to something," Gibbs suggests.

"Why is that?"

"I'm guessing that Eli didn't mention that his property includes an eleven year old girl."

"What eleven year old girl?"

"Leon you are to have no more contact with Eli."

"Why? Agent Gibbs what is going on?"

"McGee explain to director Vance what is going on," Gibbs replies.

"Well basically Mossad is taking donor sperm, and donor eggs, and creating embryos. They are inserting the embryos into surrogates. Once the surrogates deliver the babies they are then sent to a Mossad Training camp. Just to clarify we are talking about people. Mossad is attempting to create an army of assassins with donor material from unknowing, and non-consenting assassins, spies, and snipers. You may think that it is all a ridiculous story that an eleven year old has concocted to flee Israel, but you would be wrong. In fact I have been going through data that confirms this."

"You have got to be kidding me. How did we find this out?" Vance's nostrils flare.

"Hannah is one of them," Tony reveals.

"Hannah?" Vance questions.

"The eleven year old girl who is around here somewhere," Tony replies.

"I don't want to know. Just put her back on the next flight to Tel-Aviv," Vance insists.

"You're going to send her back? She is eleven. She is being trained to be an assassin. Director she is someone's child. She is someone's child, and they have no clue she even exists," Tony rages.

"Hell Leon, you could have an assassin in training running around in the desert," Gibbs points out.

"Boss?" McGee looks up from his computer.

"Yeah McGee?"

"The directors name is not on the list, but yours is."

"My name? McGee, are you sure?"

"Yes, it has been used, but has not been successful, according to this data."

Vance scurries over to McGee's desk. He looks down at McGee, "Who else is on this list?"

"A lot of people from, a lot of different agencies."

"Give me some examples," Vance demands.

"Amit Hadar, Ari Haswari, Jenny Shepard, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Ziva David, that is just to name a few."

"Any of them used successfully?"

"Just one," McGee answers, he then looks to Gibbs. Gibbs nods.

"Are you going to tell me how they managed to get any genetic material from any of these people? Whose genetic material has been used successfully?"

Leon's phone begins buzzing, in his pocket. He looks at McGee, "Keep me updated," he insists as he leaves the room to answer the call.

"Boss?"

"Yeah, McGee?"

"I was wrong."

"About what?"

"The number of successes."

"Why?"

"I have uncovered more files. The list of names includes people from the CIA, FBI, Marines, MI-6, Militants from at least twelve different countries, Mossad, and NCIS just to name a few. What I was just looking at were only records from 1995 to 1998. I was just able to open the records from 1999 to present. It appears that Hannah was mistaken."

"How?"

"In 2005 they stopped collecting donors. They began to reuse some of the ones they already had. They paired up different donors."

"Why?"

"They didn't want the children to look like potential terrorists. They wanted them to look like..."

Tony chimes in, "Someone like your next door neighbor."

"It also appears that I was incorrect about how many successful attempts were made from the list of people I told the director about."

"How many McGee?" Gibbs wonders.

"Three. According to these records the donors they reused were mostly comprised of ones that had already been successful. They only implanted two embryos from each set of donors. If they were unsuccessful ninety percent of those donors did not make it back on the list."

"Who was successful?"

"Amit Hadar's sperm was used successfully to create MN2001J. That number corresponds to Jonah who was born in March of 2001. After 2001 they began to search for donors who would create children who would fly under the radar. They were obviously going for a different look."

"The other three successes?"

"Ziva to create MN2000H, which we know is Hannah. I confirmed that with the data."

"The half would be?"

"A former Mossad agent, Rimon Akiva."

"Former?"

"He's dead," McGee admits.

"The others?"

"There is a note on Jenny's file stating that the scientist thought that she should not be used because and I quote, 'Redheads standout,'. Later there is a note about it being in poor taste to use her as a donor, because of her death."

"The files are in English?" Gibbs makes sudden realization.

"Yeah boss, the doctors were from England."

"That is two. Tell me about the third," Gibbs demands.

"The third is most recent. It is MN2011D. It will take me a minute to figure out who the donors are. It is one from the previous list, but the donors were assigned new numbers when they were used for a second time. It should just take a minute," McGee announces.

"What is taking Ziva so long?" Tony questions.

"Abby is doing a DNA test," Gibbs reminds him.

"I'll just call and make sure that they're all still breathing."

"I have a better idea DiNozzo, why don't you go down and check on them?"

"Yes boss," Tony nods.

"This can't be right," McGee mutters under his breath.

"McGee?" Gibbs questions as Tony boards the elevator.

"According to this MN2011D has not been classified as a success yet."

"Why not?"

"Because it is not scheduled to arrived for ten days."

"So the child has not been born yet?"

"Correct," McGee nods.

"Why can't that be right?"

"It can. That is not what I am confused about."

Gibbs walks behind McGee, he stares at the computer screen as he leans over the back of McGee's chair. "What am I looking at?" Gibbs studies a series of numbers and letters.

"Donor ID numbers," McGee announces.

"Whose?"

"That is the part I can't believe."


	3. Can't Stop The Rain

A/N: Thought I uploaded this. Sorry. I guess it got lost in cyberspace? R&R

* * *

DiNozzo steps off the elevator into Abby's lab. He finds Abby standing at the computer. Ziva, and Hannah stand next to the metal table behind Abby.

"Tony what do you need?" Abby asks without turning around.

"I was just making sure that everyone is still alive."

"We are," Ziva answers.

"What are you doing?" Tony questions as he walks up beside Abby.

"Trying to identify Hannah's father."

"Rimon Akiva," Tony reveals.

Abby hits a few keys. The computer dings, "Confirmed. Tony how did you know that?"

"McGoo told me ten minutes ago."

Tony's phone rings, "DiNozzo. Yes I will tell her. Can do. I won't. Ok. Yes, understood," he hangs up.

"Gibbs?" Ziva asks.

Tony nods, "He wants to see you upstairs now. Hannah you're staying down here with me."

"Why?"

"Gibbs didn't really say, other than he thinks it would be best if you didn't hear the conversation that he needs to have with Ziva."

"Ok," Hannah nods.

Ziva leaves the room. The elevator doors open, and she climbs in, trying to think, or feel anything.

"So you finished your DNA test?" Tony queries.

"Yes," Abby nods.

"And?" Tony inquires.

"Hannah was right, she is Ziva's daughter."

"How did she take it?" Tony wonders.

"She didn't say anything," Hannah reveals.

"Are you ok?" Tony quizzes the eleven year old.

"I am fine. I think that she was in shock, I expected that."

Ziva gets the elevator. As she strides to the squad room she feels the reality begin to hit her. She feels a twinge of pain, in her heart. She takes a deep breath, and stops at her desk, for a millisecond. Gibbs sits at his desk, waiting for her.

"What do you need?" she questions as she stands in front of his desk.

He shoots a look at McGee. McGee vacates his seat, and pushes Ziva's chair over to her. She takes a seat, and stares at Gibbs, trying not to let her emotions show.

"You and I are going to go to Israel. I am fully aware of the fact that you do not really care to go."

"I want to go," she admits.

"We have a lot to do, and not much time to do it. I don't know if we are going to be able to do it."

"What about Tony, and McGee, are they coming too?"

"No, Tony is going to stay here, with Hannah. McGee is going to keep us updated from here."

"Why is Tony going to stay here with Hannah?"

"We can't take her back to Israel. She would not survive."

"Why can't Tony go?"

"I need you. Tim is in the process of identifying all of the children."

"What will we do with that information?"

"He knows where they are."

"What are we going to do, once we find them?"

"Tony will contact biological parents, the ones that are alive."

"What if they don't want them?"

"That isn't our job. We will return the children who are wanted."

"They aren't normal children."

"No, but they should all be given chance, don't you think?"

"Yes."

"Vance has sent a team to London."

"London? What is in London?"

"The team in London has been sent to destroy the facility where are the donor material is being stored."

"Why are we the ones going?"

"I understand if you want to stay here, with Hannah, but that simply is not an option. I need you."

"Why us?"

"We are the only ones with a vested interest."

"I do not understand."

"You should go home, start packing."

"I do not feel safe leaving Hannah here."

"Do you think we should take her with us?"

"No. I think that Tony should go with you, and I will stay."

"McGee I am going to go home, and pack. Update Ziva on what you have learned."

"Yes sir," McGee nods.

Abby and Tony stare at Hannah.

"I think that we have established that I am real, so why are the two of you staring at me?"

"It's incredible," Abby remarks.

"I know," Tony agrees.

"What is?" Hannah quizzes.

"How much you look like her. How much you are like her. And today was the first time you ever met her. I guess that sometimes genetics are more influential..." Tony comments.

"We were raised in a similar environment. I am a lot like her, but I do not want to be a killer," Hannah responds.

"Neither does she," Tony adds.

"I am not ok with taking someone's life, no matter how justifiable it is," Hannah admits.

Abby studies the girl, "I can tell by the look in your eyes that isn't entirely true, is it?"

"Given the chance you would take Eli David's life," Tony points out.

"I will not become a monster, in order to rid the world of another."

"But you wouldn't be upset if someone else did, would you?" Tony questions.

"No," Hannah answers him shamefully.

"Hannah what is your last name?" Tony probes.

"I do not have one. I just have a first name. None of us have middle names, or last names. We are all only given one name, that way we can become whoever we want."

"I have to admit, I am not entirely sure that I believe you. How do I know that you aren't setting them up?" Tony asks.

"You don't. You just have to trust me. I know I have done nothing to earn your trust. You have every right to question me, but I am not the enemy. I am not a threat. I am an eleven year old girl, who..."

"Has never had anyone," Abby fills in the blanks.

Hannah nods, fighting the tears. She was more like her mother than anyone could have ever anticipated. Tony steps towards her. He hugs her. She holds back the tears.

"It's ok to cry. It's ok to be sad. I know that you have learned emotions, they are a flaw, but they are not. Emotions make us human."

"I don't know if I have any humanity. I have spent most of my life trying to feel nothing. When you feel nothing, your soul turns black. You trust no one. I... I don't know how to get over that," Hannah admits.

"You'll learn," Tony promises.

"And if I don't?"

He lifts the young girl onto the surface of the stainless steel table. He wipes away tears from her cheeks.

"You will. I know you hurt. We all hurt, sometimes, and that's ok. You're hurt because Ziva' didn't say anything?"

Hannah nods in confirmation.

"She guards her emotions. She doesn't want the wrong person to see the wrong thing. She didn't want you to see how angry she was that someone thought it was ok to do what they did. To create you, without her knowledge. She didn't want you to get the wrong idea. She isn't angry with you, she doesn't want you to think that."

"How do you know?"

"I have been her partner for a long time. It took a while, but with one look, I can read her like a book."

"How?"

"She lets me."

"Why?"

"Because she has to trust me."

"Has she always?"

"She's questioned whether I was worthy, on occasion, but she has learned that one thing always remains true, no matter what, I always have her back."

His phone rings. He pulls it out of his pocket. "DiNozzo," he answers. He doesn't say much, just nods in understanding, "Yes, I'll be right there." He hangs up the phone. He looks at Hannah.

"Can I trust you to stay here?"

"I can protect myself," she answers.

He looks up at Abby. She smiles, "I'll keep her occupied."

"If I'm not back in five minutes, send out a search party," he jokes.

"I already put a tracking device on you," Hannah jests.

He finds Ziva sitting at her desk. Her nostrils flare, her face is red. He brushes the stray hair out of her face. He sits on the edge of her desk. He watches her in silence, as the floodgates open. A single tear travels down her cheek. She doesn't say a word. He stands, as she rises from her chair. He doesn't move. He allows her to decide. She wraps her arms around him, and buries her head in his chest. If there was one thing he had learned from her, it was that sometimes the right thing to say, is to say nothing at all.


	4. A Valuable Weapon

She stares out the window of a private plane. Gibbs sits in a seat nearby. She doesn't say a word to him. He reads a file to himself. This was going to be a long flight, and an even longer mission. The CIA had provided them with a fifteen passenger plane. All twenty nine children had been identified. Nine of them no longer had either biological parent living. Thirteen had only one biological parent living. Only seven had both biological parents living. Out of the twenty nine children only four of them had their biological parents been located, and contacted so far.

Gibbs looks up from his file.

"I told you to stay put. You are even worse at following orders than she is," Gibbs comments.

Ziva looks around, she sees only herself, and Gibbs in the cabin.

"You can come out now," Gibbs adds.

The bathroom door at the rear of the plane unlatches. Hannah steps out.

"Does Tony know where you are?" Ziva questions.

Hannah walks over to a storage closet, and unlocks it. Tony steps out.

"I still do not understand why I got locked in a tiny closet, and you got the bathroom. I am way bigger than you."

"Because I said please," Hannah reminds him.

Tony takes a seat next to Gibbs. Hannah takes a seat in front of Ziva.

"I thought that we agreed not to bring them with us," Ziva thinks aloud.

"We did, but neither of them are very good at following directions."

"It will be easier if I am with you," Hannah adds.

Hours later they arrive in Tel-Aviv. Malachi Ben-Gidon waits for them at the airstrip.

"Can you tell me why I am meeting you here, without your father's knowledge?" questions Ziva.

She steps off the plane first. Hannah steps off behind her, then Tony, and finally Gibbs.

"Did you do what I asked?" Ziva responds.

"Yes. Four vehicles. Where are we going? Why do you have a child with you?"

"This is Hannah."

"Hello," Malachi greets her.

"Why did you bring a child with you to Tel-Aviv?"

"She is my daughter," Ziva reveals.

"Your daughter? You do not have a daughter."

"I do," she corrects him.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"You should ask Eli that. I would have told you that I had a daughter, but I did not know, until yesterday," Ziva admits.

"How were you unaware of that?"

"It seems that my father has been attempting to create assassins."

"Create them? You mean train them?"

"Create them. From unknowing donors. I am not the only one. It started in 1995. There are twenty nine children. Ranging from 15 to four months. There is another who has not been born yet."

"I think that I would know if this were true."

"Do you know that Hadar had a ten year old son named Jonah?"

"You are making things up."

"Hannah," Ziva motions.

Hannah steps forward, she hands Ziva a picture. Ziva presents it to Ben-Gidon. "This is Jonah," she announces.

"I do not understand."

"These children are implanted into surrogates. After birth they are taken to a training camp in the middle of the desert. They learn to go unnoticed in the world. They are trained to be killers. They are children, and my father had the twisted idea to turn them into cold blooded killers."

"Where is your proof?"

Ziva points to Hannah, "She is my proof."

"You believe her?"

"I don't have to. She provided us with files upon files to prove it. I have names of every donor, every child that was created. I have names, and dates, and pictures. That picture," she points to the picture in his hands, "that is the son of one of our former colleagues."

"How could they have children without knowing?"

"My father paid people off to retrieve sperm samples, and retrieve eggs from spies, assassins, and snipers. Samples were sent to the lab. A doctor in a lab matched up suitable donors, and created embryos. He implanted them in surrogates who carried them until birth. And none of the biological parents knew about them."

"When? When did this happen?"

"The samples were collected after surgeries, during periods of unconsciousness, anytime anyone went into the hospital, this could have happened."

"You lead. I will follow," he agrees.

She grabs her bag, and moves towards one of the empty vans. Hannah follows her.

"Ziva?" Hannah questions as Ziva starts the engine.

"Buckle up," Ziva insists, "On second thought, you might be better off riding with Tony. He is a much safer driver."

"I will take my chances," Hannah answers.

"Ok," Ziva nods.

"Ziva?"

"Yes, Hannah?"

"There is something you aren't telling me, isn't there?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"We will discuss it later," Ziva replies.

"You do not have to keep secrets from me."

"I know that you have seen many things that you should not have in your life, but the fact is, you are still a child. There are some things that you do not need to know."

"Maybe I don't need to know them, but I am curious. What is it that is bothering you?"

"Hannah the whole situation bothers me. The fact that someone would think that it was ok to create children without the biological parents knowledge, that bothers me. The fact that someone thinks it is ok to train a child to become a killer is ok, that sickens me. The fact that someone is my father, does not surprise me, but... I hate it."

"You hate him?"

"Even if I said that I did, it does not make it ok."

"I think it is ok to hate him," Hannah disagrees.

"Maybe he deserves it, but... hate is not a constructive entity."

"There is more. Something I don't know about. Right?"

"Yes," Ziva nods.

"Does it have to do with MN2011D?"

"Yes," Ziva nods again.

"Are we going to talk about it?"

"No."

"Are you afraid?"

"Of what?" Ziva questions as she focuses on driving.

"This ending badly?"

"No. I am not afraid of that."

"You seem afraid of something."

"I am afraid despite all of our efforts, what we do here, today will not be enough to matter."

"It matters."

"Why did you come to NCIS? Why did you come looking for me?"

"Would you have preferred not to know?"

"I am not saying that. I am just curious."

"I knew that you would help them. I knew that you were the only one who would be good enough to want to help them, and not use them for evil. I know that sometimes there is not a very clear distinction between good and bad. I know sometimes that some people do not need to continue to exist on this planet, but I am not ok with being the one to decide who those people are."

"You do not want to kill?"

"I am the best. I never lose a fight. I am tough, because I have to be, to survive, but I did not want this. I do not wish to take anyone's life. Adam, is fifteen, and there has been talk of offering his services to Iran. They are willing to pay a lot of money to have him. The goal is to get him to go to Iran, and infiltrate terrorist cells, and eliminate them. Benjamin should be the next one that anyone is interested in."

"Adam is the oldest, and Benjamin is the next oldest?"

"Yes, Mossad wants us to be package deals. So instead they offered Cayla to go with him. Benjamin would go later, with Dara."

"They do not want Benjamin?"

"They have decided that they do not want any of them. They came to see us, and they no longer want even Adam."

"So they are not interested in any of you?"

"They want me, and only me. After the Iranians came to visit there others from at least three other countries. They all want me."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Negotiations have been going on for nearly a year. Too bad there is only one of me."

"Today," Ziva says under her breath.

"Today? What do you mean today there is only one of me? I do not understand."

"If you found the most valuable weapon, would you attempt to reproduce it?"

"Of course. If you have something that is highly sought after, you create more of it."

"Yes. You do," Ziva agrees.

"There is only one of me today. Does that mean that one day there are going to be more of me? I mean there can only be one of me, but more people like me?"

Ziva does not answer. She simply continues to drive.

"MN2011D? They are in the process of creating another person who is genetically similar to me?"

"Did you read all of the files?"

"No," she shakes her head.


	5. Branded

"They used the same donors for MN2011D, as they did for me?"

"No," Ziva answers.

"They are not attempting to obtain another me. They are attempting to create a better version."

"Why would you say that?"

"When they chose the donors originally, they looked to make sure that the donors were not related to each other. They also checked to make sure that the donors had no serious health problems. They didn't look at family histories, until more recently."

"What made them pay closer attention?"

"They found a few genetic misgivings, or predispositions in a few of the children."

"Examples?"

"MN1999F, also known as Feya, has asthma. MN2003N, also known as Nathaniel has a lazy eye."

"Why did you say that they want to create a better version of you. What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing now."

"What do you mean now?"

"If they had bothered to look at family histories they could have chosen more wisely for some of us."

"Hannah what was wrong with you?"

"When I was four I had leukemia. I have not read the file to confirm, but I have been told that my sperm donor had several family members who had cancer."

"You had leukemia?"

"I am fine now. I had a bone marrow transplant. I have been in remission for six years."

"I see," Ziva manages to answer, trying to hold back the tears.

"I think that is part of why I became so sought after. My perception of pain is skewed."

"What is the scar on your arm from?"

"A port," Hannah admits.

"Hannah..."

"Ziva you do not have to do this, any of it."

"Yes I do," she disagrees.

"I do not expect you to feel anything for me."

"No child of your age should ever be so jaded," Ziva comments.

"You become jaded, or your view of reality becomes so... unimaginable, that it is unbearable."

"No one has ever given you the choice to do what you want. What do you want?"

"No one has ever even asked me what I wanted."

"I am asking. What do you want?"

"To be given the chance to become whatever I want, not what someone else wants for me. Everyone should be allowed to choose their own path in life."

"I agree."

"Why did you quit Mossad?"

"I learned that not all people have an agenda. I learned the value of loyalty. Loyalty is not something I ever had at Mossad."

"And at NCIS?"

"I know that I can count on my team members."

"They came with you."

"They did not question why, they just did it, because I needed them to."

"Who did they chose to use to make a better version of me?"

"It does not matter. We will discuss it later."

"I want to know."

"Later," Ziva promises.

"Who is MN2011D?"

"I do not know."

"You don't know? I thought your computer genius would figure it out."

"I do not know, because MN2011D has not yet been born."

"When is she supposed to be born?"

"He is supposed to be born within the next nine days."

"That must be who Daniel is."

"Daniel?"

"That is what they are going to name him. MN2011D is project Daniel."

"Is each one of you considered a project?"

"No. They have a timeline for when they want him to accomplish each goal."

"I do not wish to hear it."

"Why not?"

"Because I plan to prevent him from ever being in a Mossad training camp. I wish that I could have prevented you from ever being there, but... I can't."

An hour later they arrive at their destination. They get out of the vehicles, and stop at a wall. The wall is twenty feet high, with two armed young men on either side of the gate. Hannah looks up at the two young men.

"Everything is taken care of?" Hannah yells at the one on the left.

"I promised that I would by the time you got back. Is this them?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Open the gates!" He yells.

The gates open and the two boys disappear from the wall. Ziva, Gibbs, Tony, Ben-Gidon, and Hannah step inside the gates. The two boys join them on the ground.

"Agent David we have a present for you," Adam smiles.

"Come with me," Benjamin offers.

The five of them begin to follow him.

Benjamin stops at a door. He turns and faces them. He smiles.

"I have to warn you, not all of us possess self control, just yet."

"Meaning?" Gibbs inquires.

"You'll see," Benjamin opens the door.

They step into a room. Against the wall on the left, and on the right are tables. They are lined up end to end against the wall. Twenty five children, of different ages sit on the tables. In the center of the room sit three men. Eli David sits in the middle of them. Benjamin walks up behind them. Ziva watches him closely. Benjamin does not touch any of the men, but they all tense the instant he steps towards them. All three of them are beaten, scratched and bruised. Benjamin points to the first man.

Tony, Ziva, Gibbs, Ben-Gidon and Hannah look at the man on their right. Benjamin's lips curl into a smile. "Here we have the mad scientist." He takes a few steps. He bypasses Eli and moves to the man on the other end. He points to the man on their left, "The evil doctor." As Benjamin begins to move towards Eli he begins to chuckle, "And the mastermind behind it all." He stops behind Eli. Eli's jaw tightens. Benjamin gently touches Eli's cheek. "Tell me Eli, how does your face feel now? You made only one mistake. Teaching us to surpass our teachers. You created us, and we all have one common enemy, and that is you," Benjamin pauses. Eli looks at Ziva. Benjamin looks up at her. "Even if your daughter has enough self-control not to put a dagger through your heart today, which I believe that she does, we all know where you are, at any given moment. We know where you sleep, where you eat, where you work. We will not kill you. We do not want to put you out of your misery. Instead you will live every day in fear. Every day you will close your eyes and wonder if it is going to be the night that we kill you in your sleep. You will wake up each morning, and wonder if this is the day that one of us slipped cyanide in your coffee. You'll drive to work each day, and question if the tick you heard is just the engine, or a bomb we planted in your car. You can live, and breathe, but you are not a free man. You will never be a free man. You are ours. Some of us may be reunited with our biological parents, but some of us will not. Some of us will be able to be fixed. Some of us will not. Some of us will not begrudge the man who wanted to created us, but some of us will. Some of us will always be watching you, waiting for you."

A young man jumps off one of the tables. He moves towards Benjamin. He hands Benjamin a branding iron, and a blow torch. Benjamin nods, "Thank you Ethan."

"Hannah would you like to do the honor?" Benjamin offers.

"No."

"Ziva?" Benjamin questions.

Ziva steps forward. She takes the branding iron without any hesitation. Benjamin uses the blow torch to heat it.

"Ziva I know that I deserve this, but if you could find it in your heart to forgive me. You have to understand I did this so that..."

She flaps her hand, "I don't care why you did this. I don't care how. I don't even care that you are heartless enough to do this to your own daughter, your own granddaughter. I don't care about anything that you have to say. I don't care about you. You deserve to die alone, in the desert, slow, and miserably. The things you have done are unimaginable. I only hope that someone can fix the mess you made." She motions for Benjamin. Benjamin reheats the branding iron. He puts the blow torch down, and stands behind Eli. He holds him down. Ziva presses the branding iron into Eli's forehead. She takes a step back to look at her work.

"Benjamin it's crooked, do you think I should do it again?"

"He does not even deserve to have his branding perfect. That would be too good for him," Benjamin replies.

"Agreed," Ziva nods.


	6. Who Is Daniel?

Tony, Ziva, Gibbs, and Ben-Gidon sit at a table in the center of a classroom. Ziva finishes her list.

"Who is going with us?" Tony questions.

"Cayla, Gabriel, Hannah, Jonah, Levi, Raphael, Toren, Abigail, Boaz, and Cain," she reads the list.

"Out of twenty nine children, ten are going home to their parents?" Tony question.

Gibbs phone rings, "Gibbs? Yes, thanks Leon."

"Calling us home?" Tony inquires.

"He was telling me that the new director of Mossad has been announced, and that Sarah will also be joining us," Gibbs reveals.

"So eleven out of twenty nine?" Ben-Gidon attempts to clarify.

"It seems that people think they are too much of a risk to society," Tony answers.

"Some of them are not even old enough to be in nursery school, and they are a threat to society?" Ziva raises her eyebrows.

Gibbs phone rings again. "Gibbs. Yes. We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Tony, Malachi round up the kids that are going with us. We'll meet you at the airport, in the morning," Gibbs orders, "Ziva you're with me."

She follows him out of the compound. As soon as they pull away Hannah slips into the classroom with Tony.

"Hannah are you trying to sneak up on me?" he inquires as she stands behind him.

"If I were you would not be aware of my presence."

"Have a seat," he sits on the table, and pushes out a chair with his foot.

She takes a seat. "Where did they go?"

"I do not really know."

"You're lying."

"I do know, but I was asked not to discuss it with you."

"By whom?"

"I think that you know."

"I do not understand what the big secret is. I assume that their leaving had something to do with MN2011D."

"I do not know what you are referring to."

"Daniel?"

"Oh, Daniel," he nods.

"That was what the call was about? He is being born, right now?" Hannah assumes.

"Yes," Tony confirms.

"Who is Daniel?"

"I will tell you when I meet him."

"Why won't Ziva tell me who he is? Who he belongs to?"

"I think that your...Ziva is a little bit overwhelmed right now."

"I am eleven, I understand that. Why does she change the subject when I bring up MN2011D? Is he who I think he is?"

"I don't know who you think he is."

"They wanted to create someone like me."

"Yes."

"So in order to do that they would use the same donors."

"Maybe," he shrugs.

"They didn't use the same sperm donor."

"How would you know that?"

"Because they found out he had a family history of cancer."

"Why does it matter?"

"I spent nearly a year of my life in a hospital with Leukemia. Time that could have been spent here."

"I didn't know."

"Treatment was an expense that they did not anticipate. They would have destroyed his samples."

"All of the samples have now been destroyed. They are saying that the bomb was a terrorist attack on the facility."

"What was it really?"

"A couple of Director Vance's buddies from the FBI."

"They would use the same egg donor though, wouldn't they?"

"In most cases they would have used two eggs for each implantation. In your case because they did not have an abundance of them, so they used only one."

"So there are some that are still unaccounted for?"

"Attempts using only one egg are very rarely successful. You are a true testament to..."

She cuts him off, "How good her genes are."

"Yeah," Tony admits.

"So is Daniel?" She questions.

"That is why Gibbs wanted you to stay in the lab with Abby the other day. He wanted to break the news to Ziva, without anyone else around."

"So in one day she found out that she had an eleven year old that she didn't know about, and a baby on the way? That is a bad day."

"It got worse," Tony admits.

"Worse how? Who is Daniel's biological father?"

"It doesn't matter, does it?"

"I am going to find out anyway, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"So why can't you just tell me?"

"I want it to be a surprise."

"I hate surprises."

"So does your... Ziva."

"My mother?"

"Let's talk about that. How do you feel about that? You have to stay with her for the next seven years of your life. That will be rough, don't you think? I'm sure that the two of you will butt heads a lot, especially once you become a teenager."

"You are trying to change the subject."

"Answer my questions, and I will answer yours," he counters.

"She should not have to take responsibility for me. She did not create me."

"She is your biological mother."

"You think that she is ready to be a parent?"

"She is about ready to take a crash course in it."

"I know."

"Do you want to stay with her? I want you to be honest. Don't give me your hard-ass, ninja answer, I want the real one."

"Yes. I want to stay with her. I want her to want me."

"She does want you," Tony points out.

"You don't know that. You don't know how she feels about me. You didn't ask her. No one asked her if she wanted a child, or two. Nobody asked her to take me, to love me. I wouldn't ask her to."

"She already does."

"You can't know that."

"I saw her look at you for the first time, and before Gibbs even told her who you were, I could tell that she knew. In her heart she knew who you were."

"It's kind of hard not to know. I look..."

"You are her spitting image. You look so much like her it's scary."

"My hair is darker than hers was as a child."

"It's like someone took a shrink-ray to her, and it's you."

"Fair enough. What were you saying?"

"She doesn't do well with her emotions, but I saw that she was scared. I saw that she was angry, that someone would hurt her child. Even in that first second she identified you as her child, as someone no one was allowed to hurt. She feels a need to protect you. She is trying to over come her anger right now, to be a good example for you."

"If I weren't there earlier, do you think that she would have killed him?"

"I can't say. I know that she would have liked to."

"She didn't want me to see her kill someone."

"She wanted you to see that no matter what your genetics are, or what environment you grow up in, there is hope. You do not have to become who everyone thinks you will become. You chose the decisions you make. And sometimes you have to show self-control, and mercy."

"I'm glad she branded him."

"I kind of enjoyed that, myself. The smell was awful, but he deserved it."

"Absolutely."

"It was a Hebrew symbol, what did it mean?"

"Prisoner."

"Fitting," Tony smiles.

"So are you going to answer my questions now?"

"I will answer some of your questions now," he agrees.

"What is it about the sperm donor that set her over the edge? Is it a terrorist?"

"No. After 9/11 someone decided that it would be best if none of you..."

"Looked like terrorists? What does a terrorist look like anyway?"

"They didn't want any of you to fit the stereotypical description of a terrorist. So they decided to attempt to make babies that look more like your neighbor."

"Egyptian? Syrian?"

"No, like a next door neighbor. Someone who could pass for your next door neighbor, in nearly any country."

"Oh. How did they do that?"

"Instead of using donors who were primarily of middle eastern descent they chose donors from different areas of the world."

"That is why Abigail has blonde hair?"

"Yes," Tony nods.

"So then Daniel's sperm donor is Finnish?"

"Not exactly. He's from the melting pot," Tony reveals expecting that she won't understand.

"He's American?"

"Yes," Tony confirms.


	7. He Will Laugh

"CIA?"

"No."

"FBI?"

"No."

"Department of Homeland Security. Wouldn't have be ironic? If Mossad inadvertently created a terrorist, whose biological father was someone who worked for the Department of Homeland Security?"

"It would, but he's not."

"Is it someone that she knows?"

"No comment."

"It's someone from NCIS?"

"No comment."

"Tony I can see why she gets annoyed with you."

"She said that?"

"No I can just tell."

"I can't tell you. You should ask her."

"Will she tell me?"

"I don't think that she has much of a choice."

"Is it you?"

"No. I am not a spy, or an assassin, or a sniper."

"So then you're also ruling out McGeek?"

"Yes," Tony nods.

"Director Vance was not on the list."

"Do you know who was on the list?" Tony asks out of curiosity.

"What is Agent Gibbs full name?"

"Why does it matter?"

"He's Leroy Jethro Gibbs?"

"Yes, he is."

Ziva sits in a hospital room in Tel-Aviv. She sits in a chair in the corner of the room. She holds a brand new baby. He sleeps peacefully in her arms. His thick dark hair is covered by his hat. He is wrapped up like a taco. His hand rests on his cheek as he sleeps. She doesn't look up when she hears footsteps coming toward the room. She recognizes the footsteps before they enter the room.

He sits down on the empty bed adjacent to her. He offers her a cup. He places his on the stand between them. He offers a trade. She nods and carefully places the sleeping baby boy in his arms. She takes the cup, and carefully sips. Gibbs carefully studies the sleeping infant.

"So this is Daniel?"

"No," Ziva answers softly, but firmly.

"No?"

"I don't want him to be associated with that name, or Mossad at all."

"What are you going to name him?"

"I am open to suggestions."

"My name is Leroy Jethro, do you think that I am qualified to give suggestions?"

"I value your opinion."

"Do you have an preference?"

"On what?"

"Origin, or... originality? I am not very original," he clarifies.

"I will not name him Banjo."

"Banjo? There is someone named Banjo?"

"So I have heard," Ziva admits.

"So what kind of a name would you like?"

"Something strong, yet plain, and simple."

"I was going to suggest King," Gibbs jokes.

"That is not Hebrew."

"Does it have to be Hebrew?"

"No."

"Is Hannah Hebrew?"

"For grace," Ziva reveals.

"You want something plain?"

"Yes," Ziva confirms.

"Ok, where should I start?"

"With the beginning of the alphabet," Ziva suggests.

"A...Aaron?"

"No. That is Hebrew, by the way."

"Beau?"

"He is a boy."

"You want a name that will fit him when he is a man, too?"

"Beau would be alright if he is going to grow up and be a model, or a character on a soap opera."

"Why am I the one suggesting names?"

"I am too much in shock to come up with one," she replies.

"Caleb?"

"That is ok."

"Why don't you write down the possibilities?" Gibbs suggests.

"You write," she answers as she sits down her cup, and reaches for the baby.

"Ok," he agrees, opening the drawer and pulling out a pen and pad of paper.

"Continue please."

"Daniel is out so..."

"We can skip D."

"E...Eric?"

"Don't write that down."

"Fred?"

"You are terrible at this," Ziva comments.

"I told you that I was. Do you want me to continue?"

"Yes," she nods as she yawns.

"Gabriel?"

"He does not look like a Gabriel, although it is Hebrew."

"Henry?"

"Nope."

"Isaac?"

"No."

"That was Hebrew," Gibbs points out.

"It doesn't have to be Hebrew," Ziva reminds him.

"How many of these are we going to come up with?"

"As many as it takes to come up with a name I like."

"At least Hannah already comes with a name," he remarks.

"I like the name Hannah."

"Of course you do. Jacob?"

"Jackson," she replies.

"That is my father's name," he points to the baby, "He does not look like a little old man. What about Ken?"

"As in Barbie and Ken?" she responds.

"I take it that doesn't go on the list. This is a very short list Ziva, we are nearly half way through the alphabet."

"Keep going," she tells him as she watches the sleeping baby.

"Lucas?"

"That is your suggestion for L?"

"Levi?" Gibbs suggests.

"Write that one down."

"Now we're up to M. Matthew?"

"That's it."

"That's it? You are tired to going through names already?"

"No," she shakes her head, "That is it. That is his name."

"Matthew? We should have started with M."

"Matthew what?"

Gibbs looks at the list, "Caleb, or Levi."

"I do not like either of those with the name Matthew."

"I am not coming up with anymore names. You'll have to come up with the middle name on your own."

"If you don't come up with something I am going to call him Matthew Jackson."

"That isn't a good combination."

"Matthew Jack."

"That is even worse. Maybe it is best that Hannah already has a name. Maybe you should ask Hannah, for her advice."

"I doubt she has any interest."

"Why are you asking me?"

"You know why," she retorts.

"You know Shannon had the name Kelly picked out before we even met?"

"What would you have done if she had been a boy?"

He shrugs, "I guess we would have named him Kelly."

"You didn't have a name picked out if Kelly didn't work out?"

"It certainly was not Leroy Jethro."

"You sound bitter that your father named you that?"

"Wouldn't you be?"

"Maybe a little."

"He doesn't have to have a middle name."

"I want him to have a middle name."

"So just pick one."

"You pick."

"Isaac."

"Matthew Isaac?" Ziva questions.

"Sounds good to me."

"Do you know what it means?"

"Do you?" she responds.

"I do," he nods.

"Enlighten me."

"There was a marine that I knew once, named Isaac. If ever there was ever someone whose name fit him perfectly, it was Isaac. He told me that his name meant he will laugh. No matter what was going on Isaac was smiling, or laughing. He always knew how to lighten the mood."

"Kind of like Tony?"

"Yeah, kind of like Tony," he admits.

"Do you like the name Matthew Isaac?"


	8. Home

"I don't have to like it, it isn't my name," Jethro adds.

"True."

"He is your son," Gibbs points out.

"We need to talk about that."

"Take as much time as you need. You have a lot on your plate right now. A new baby, and an eleven year old. I would much rather be dealing with a newborn, than an eleven year old."

"Gibbs... that is not what I meant," she shifts the baby.

"Let me take him," he offers.

Ziva passes the baby off to him.

"I thought that he was supposed to cry," she continues the conversation.

"You heard him cry earlier. He'll sleep for a while."

"We are going to have to spend thirteen hours on a plane full of children tomorrow. Can we send them separately?"

"There is only one plane."

"There are fifteen seats, and nine children, and three adults. That leaves three empty seats."

"We'll probably have to hold a couple of them. He'll want to be held."

"How is this going to work?"

"The flight?"

"No. I know how that will work. Tomorrow we are being discharged at 0500. We will meet DiNozzo, and Ben-Gidon at the airport by 0700. The flight leaves at 0730. That puts us back in D.C. in time for..."

"Bed."

"There will be no sleeping on the flight, will there?"

"He might sleep through it."

"No one else will."

"Probably not," he agrees.

"How is this going to work? Once we return to D.C.?"

"You will take Hannah, and Matthew home, and Tony, McGee, and I will deal with the paperwork."

"Take them home? I have one bedroom. Where are we all going to sleep? What do I put him in to sleep? How am I going to get him home from the airport? I don't have car seat. I don't have anything for either one of them."

"We'll figure it out."

"Do we have everything we need for him for the flight tomorrow?"

"Yes," Gibbs nods.

"Gibbs..."

"I'll let Tony, and McGee deal with the paperwork."

"I don't know what I'm doing."

"That's ok, you'll learn."

"Last week I was just an NCIS agent. Now I have two kids. How does that happen?"

"It doesn't, to most people."

"No, this doesn't happen to most normal people. Does Vance know?"

"Which part?"

"About the baby?"

"I don't think McGee filled him in on that part."

"Are you going to fill him in?"

"I'll let him know that Matthew is fine, and that you will be needing some time off to take care of him, and adjust to things."

"Not that part."

"I'll handle it," he vows.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes.

"For what?"

"Everything."

"Don't apologize."

"I know, it's a sign of weakness."

"I was going to say that you have nothing to apologize for. You didn't do anything wrong."

"It does not make the situation any easier."

She takes the window seat next to Gibbs. Tony, and Hannah sit behind them. She finds it oddly quiet, even though she is surrounded by nine children. Matthew sleeps quietly as the plane starts down the runway. Tony holds on to a squirming four month old Cain.

"How did you get custody papers signed so quickly?" DiNozzo questions as he holds tightly to the infant on his lap.

Gibbs does not turn around to answer.

"Mossad does not need anymore bad press. There was a lot of pressure from a lot of very important people to make this happen seamlessly," Ziva explains.

"Basically they didn't want to involve the press," Tony assumes.

"Yes, that has the potential to become very ugly, very quickly."

"I would be a nightmare," Tony agrees.

"A bigger one," Ziva adds.

"Why is yours sleeping?" Tony questions.

"Because he is a newborn," Ziva answers.

"I'll trade you. Mine is squirmy."

"He is easily entertained. Here," she hands him a set of keys.

Tony dangles the keys in front of the baby. The baby settles down, and focuses his attention on the set of keys.

"Just don't let him put them in his mouth. I'm not entirely sure what is on them," Ziva warns.

"Aren't they your keys?"

"Yes Tony, they are my keys, but that doesn't mean I know what is on them."

"Will you two be quiet? Everyone else is trying to sleep!" Hannah huffs.

Tony leans back in his seat. Ziva turns around, and faces forward. Matthew sheepishly sucks at his pacifier. She stares at the sleeping baby in silence. Gibbs notices her silence.

"You ok?" he asks quietly.

She gives a half hearted nod as they plane leaves the ground. She feels her heart quicken. This was reality, one that she was completely unprepared for. When she returned home she would not be alone. She would have not one, but two children depending on her. An eleven year old girl, scarred by the hand that had been dealt to her. And an innocent newborn baby who had not learned the evils of the world. It was her job to protect them, and to try to provide some sort of normal life for them.

For a newborn he wasn't small. Eight pounds and eleven ounces, twenty two inches long. His fingers were long, and his hair was thick. Behind his eyelids she new there were big, dark blue eyes, that would likely turn brown, rather quickly. He seemed so small, so fragile. She knew that he would not break, but it did not make things any less nerve-wracking. His breathing slows, and he spits the pacifier out. She anticipates crying, but he remains asleep. Beginning to relax she leans her head back, and closes her eyes.

When she opens her eyes everyone else is wide awake. They all quietly do things to keep them occupied. She finds that Matthew is no longer in her arms. Gibbs holds onto the infant, in the seat next to her. Matthew sucks at his bottle.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Eleven hours," Gibbs reveals.

"Eleven hours? Are you sure?"

"Yes. You haven't slept in two days. I told you to get some sleep last night, but..."

"I didn't even hear you take him," she comments, attempting to avoid the lecture.

"When I reached for him you were asleep, but you still grabbed my wrist," he reveals.

"How long has he been awake?"

"Not long," he admits. Without another word he hands her the infant. Matthew stares up at her calmly as he drinks down the last half an ounce of the bottle. She quickly burps him, and wraps him back up in his blanket. He looks up at her, wide awake.

"I see you're finally awake," she smiles, "I am guessing that this means you aren't going to sleep any tonight."

"I would say that is a pretty safe bet," Gibbs agrees.

Three hours later Ziva arrives home. She had been met at the airport with a carseat. She steps into the apartment, and flips on the light. She finds a basinet in her living room. She peels off her coat, and gloves, and quickly removes the sleeping baby from the car seat. Hannah makes her way to the couch. Ziva lifts the baby out of the carseat, and goes over to the basinet. She finds it filled with diapers, wipes, a few bottles, a couple of blankets, and a few items of clothing. On the top of the pile is a note. _Gibbs asked me to take care of this for you. Abs._ She holds onto the sleeping baby with one arm, and empties the contents of the basinet onto the coffee table. Without a word Hannah carries the basinet into the bedroom.

Ziva places Matthew in the basinet, and goes into the closet for extra blankets.

"Do you want to sleep in the bed, or on the couch?" She asks Hannah.

"The couch is fine."

Ziva takes a couple of blankets, and pillows into the living room for Hannah.

"Do you want a shower?" Ziva questions.

"I'll take one in the morning."

"Are you hungry?"

"Do you have cereal?"

"In the cabinet."

"Then I'm good. If you want to shower I can keep an eye on him," Hannah offers.

"Are you sure?'

"He just ate, and pooped a little bit ago. I can handle him until you're done with your shower."

"Ok," Ziva agrees.

She gathers up some clothes, and heads into the bathroom. She closes the door behind her, and turns on the shower. As she steps into the shower the tears begin falling like rain. She ignores the tears, and the emotions, and showers as usual. When she gets out she finds that the tears are not turned off as easily. She tucks the towel around, her, and wipes off the mirror. Her hair is wet, and her eyes are red, and blood shot. She takes a deep breath and wipes away the tears. "Get it together," she tells herself.


	9. Gifts

She opens her eyes, and it's still dark. She prays that she is alone, that this is all a dream. That there she does not have a newborn son in the basinet next to her bed, and that she does not have a daughter asleep on the couch in the living room. The clock tells her that it is a few minutes after five. If this were a dream she would wake up now, and turn on the light. She would get out of bed, and go for a run. She takes a deep breath, and flips on the light.

The reality bites her as she sits up. She finds a basinet sitting next to her bed. She stretches knowing that it is time for the baby to eat again. She stands up, and looks inside the basinet to find it empty. Without hesitation, or a second thought she makes her way to the door. This was reality. And in a moment she had gone from wishing it wasn't to panicked about her baby not being in his basinet. She pulls the door open, and steps out into the living room. She hears Hannah snoring lightly on the couch.

In the kitchen the light above the stove dimly lights it. She moves towards the kitchen, her heart racing with each step. Before she reaches the kitchen she sees a figure standing in the kitchen. She moves towards it. She finds Tony standing against the counter.

Her movements slow when she realizes that he is holding Matthew. She stops a foot away from her partner.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"I thought you might need some help."

"It is barely five o'clock."

"I couldn't sleep. I slept on the plane."

"So did I."

"You have been up all night with him. I figured that you could use a break."

"I didn't even hear you."

"You know you should probably keep your gun somewhere other than under your pillow now that you have kids around. You could have shot the both of us."

"I pointed my gun at you?"

"When I told you it was just me you put it right back under your pillow."

"Hannah didn't wake up, when you came in?"

"She met me at the door."

"How long have you been here?" she yawns.

"Ten minutes."

"Why are you here?"

"I thought that you could use some support. This is a lot to handle, all at once. In a matter of days you went from being just you to three of you. That is a lot for anyone, even you."

"I have no clue what I am doing. I have never had to take care of a baby before."

"I am guessing that is the easy part."

"I have an eleven year old daughter who I just found out about. I do not know what to say to her."

"Ease into it," he suggests as he puts the baby over his shoulder to burp him.

"None of this is easy."

"Abby wants to take Hannah shopping."

"Why?"

"She thought that it would be good for her."

"I can take her shopping."

"You can, but..."

"But what?"

"Gibbs wants us in by seven this morning. Abby offered to take Hannah so that..."

"Director Vance wants to be briefed on how things went?"

"Yes," Tony nods.

Ziva reaches for the baby. Tony hands the baby to her.

"I got him something," Tony admits.

"He is too young for a girlfriend," Ziva reminds.

Tony reaches for the gift bag behind him. He holds out the bag to her.

"I am holding him," she points out.

"I'll take him so you can open it."

"Why are you suddenly interested in babies?"

"I'm not. Yesterday I just got stuck with one."

"And today?"

"He's not just any baby. He is your baby."

"My baby," she says softly as she trades Tony for the gift bag.

"That's still hard to grasp, isn't it?"

She nods as she pulls out the contents of the bag. "An Ohio State outfit?" she questions.

"Well, I figured that if he doesn't go into the Marines, work for NCIS, or Mossad, he can always be a line-backer for my college team. I mean he is a big baby. I see the NFL in his future. Hopefully he won't forget his uncle Tony when he makes it to the Superbowl."

"Uncle Tony?"

"What else is he going to call me? I'm the closest thing he has to an uncle. Abby is already calling herself Aunty Abby."

"That is different."

"How?"

"It just is," she argues.

"Oh. Abby called earlier to confirm the DNA results from the cheek swab you guys overnighted her."

"When?"

"Shortly after nine last night."

"And what did she say?"

"She told me to tell you that Gibbs said what McGee found out is definitely one hundred percent true."

"I know."

"So are you going to get ready to go to work, or not?"

"I have time."

"It takes a lot more time with two kids," he points out.

"Hannah, go get your shower."

Hannah gets up without a single complaint. She grabs her bag, and heads into the bathroom.

"See, not that difficult."

"Show off," he smiles.

"Can I have my baby back now?"

"That is weird for me to hear you say."

"It is weirder for me to say."

"I think that I will keep him. He is awfully cute. I am curious as to why you named him Matthew. I think that Anthony would have been much more fitting, for such a handsome boy."

"I decided that if I named him King Anthony, he might develop a complex."

"But Matthew Isaac, is so boring, so plain."

"Would you have preferred I named him something like Duke, or maybe Clark Kent?"

"Don't be silly, I would never expect you to name him Clark Kent. He might become superman one day, but he doesn't have to have the same name."

"And Duke?"

"Duke would be ok."

"Duke is a dog's name."

"You're right he isn't a Duke. You could have named him Jackson."

"I was not allowed to."

"You let Gibbs have a vote?" Tony inquires.

"Yes."

"Why? His name is Leroy Jethro."

"You know why. Can I please have my son, now?"

"How are you going to get dressed if you are holding him?"

"I am not."

"That's what I thought."

"So does that mean that you are going to change him?"

"Change him? He's a baby he can wear pajamas all day."

"His diaper," she clarifies.

"Of course. I've got it covered."

She walks away, "Good luck," she smiles from her doorway.

Abby picks Hannah up at Ziva's apartment at 0630. She takes half a million pictures of the baby, and then heads to breakfast with Hannah. Tony bundles baby Matthew up in his coat, and fuzzy hat. He straps him into the carseat.

"Ziva, are you coming?"

"Yes, I am peeing first, is that ok?"

"Hurry up. We're going to be late."

"Tony that is the least of my worries this morning," she calls from the bathroom.

0705 Tony, Ziva, and baby Matthew arrive at NCIS. She steps off the elevator with a car seat in one hand, and a diaper bag on the opposite shoulder.

"Why did you have to drive so slow?" she bickers with Tony.

"There was precious cargo in the car."

"He has a car seat."

"So you drive ninety with him in the backseat?"

"No, but I go the speed limit," she argues as she makes it to her desk.

"I was going the speed limit," Tony retorts.

"On what planet does it take forty minutes to get here from my apartment, on a Tuesday? There was hardly any traffic," she yells as she uncovers the carseat. The car seat sits on her desk. Matthew sits inside, completely unaffected by Ziva and Tony's arguing.

"I just wanted to be careful. I that if you find a scratch on him it will be my fault. I know if that happens I am a dead man. I would like to live a few more days," Tony quarrels.

McGee joins them in the squad room. He approaches Ziva slowly. He looks at the sleeping baby.

"This is him?" McGee questions.

"McGee this is Matthew."

"Why does he look so big?"

"That is because Tony put about twelve layers of clothing on him this morning. I'm surprised he can even breathe."

Tony argues, "Not twelve layers, just four."

Ziva slips the toboggan off of the baby, to find another hat. "Two hats? That is unnecessary."

"That is where he loses most of his heat," Tony points out.

Ziva shakes her head as she unfastens the car seat. She lifts the baby out.

"McGee would you like to hold him?"

"Sure," McGee agrees apprehensively.

She hands McGee the infant, and carefully removes his coat. She sets the coat aside, and grabs his blue fleece blanket.

"You can have him back now," McGee offers.

Ziva takes the baby from him, and wraps him up in the blanket.

"McGee it's just a baby, he doesn't bite," Gibbs comments.

At the sound of Gibbs voice Matthew's eyes pop open.


	10. One Man

"Vance is in his office, he wants to see us," Jethro announces.

"This should be fun," Tony comments.

"For who?" Ziva shoots him a death glare.

"McGee I want you to watch Matthew."

"Me? Why me? I don't know what to do with him. Why can't he go with you guys?"

"McGee watch him for five minutes, that's all I'm asking."

Ziva picks up the car seat, and walks it over to McGee's desk. She places it in the center of the desk.

"Don't worry, he just ate."

"Nothing to worry about Probie, that means he won't get hungry enough to eat you," Tony smiles.

Tony, Ziva, and Gibbs head up the stairs to Vance's office. Vance sits at the table in his office, waiting on them. Gibbs enters the room first.

"Come in, have a seat," Vance insists from the end of the table.

Tony takes the seat next to him. Ziva sits next to Tony. Gibbs takes the chair across the table from Tony, on the other side of Vance.

"Agent David I am surprised to see you here this morning. I figured that you would be at home with Hannah."

"She is with Abby."

"Don't you think that you should take some time to bond with her before coming back to work? You have plenty of time you can use."

"I had some things that I needed to take care of here first."

"Your daughter should be your first priority. I'm sure that Tony, and Jethro can tell me everything I need to know about Israel."

"I know that I am new to being a parent, but I do not need advice from you director Vance. I have things under control."

"Very well then, let's talk about Israel. How did it go?"

"As well as could be expected," Tony admits.

"Did we figure out how to establish custody?" Vance questions.

"The Israeli government decided it would best immediately draw up custody documents. All of them have been signed," Tony adds.

"How many of the children were returned to their biological parents?"

"Twelve," Ziva reveals.

"Out of twenty nine?" Vance inquires.

"Thirty," Gibbs corrects.

"And the rest of them?" Vance quizzes.

"Some of the older children have chosen to stay where they are until their eighteenth birthday," Ziva reveals.

"And after that?" Vance asks.

"They have positions at Mossad, should they so choose," Ziva admits. "The other children have been placed up for adoption. There have been several people interested in them."

"Is it true that you branded your father?" Vance raises an eyebrow, unable to withhold the question any longer.

"Does it matter if it is?" Ziva wonders.

"No. I was just curious. I would have like to have seen that," Vance admits.

"DiNozzo has it on his camera phone," Gibbs discloses.

"Were there any issues?" Vance probes, "With the children?"

"The ones that accompanied us were met at the airport by their biological parents. All of them seemed very comfortable," Tony answers.

"You said that there were thirty children. That is one more than I was aware of," Vance directs to Gibbs.

"They were awaiting the arrival of the thirtieth before we left," Tony fills in the blanks.

"The child arrived while you were there?"

"Yes," Tony nods.

"The parents are going to Israel to retrieve him?"

"No," Tony admits.

"They are there, with him now?" Vance questions.

"Did you read all of the files?" Tony counters.

"I thought that I did," Vance responds.

"You should take a look at MN2011D," Tony suggests.

"McGee never sent me that file."

"Double check," Tony insists.

Vance gets out of his seat. He goes over to his computer. He opens his email and reads the file.

"This file is encrypted," Vance comments.

"I guess probie made a mistake," DiNozzo tries to buy time.

Vance returns to his seat. He looks at the three of them.

"What is going on? Agent McGee does not make these kinds of mistakes, unintentionally. Is he trying to protect someone? What it is that file that the three of you don't want me to know about?"

"We thought that it would be best to wait until we returned to discuss this particular file," Ziva admits.

"Why is that? Where is this child?"

"We brought him back with us," Tony smiles.

"To his parents?" Vance pries.

"DiNozzo, will you go check on McGee?" Gibbs asks.

"Sure boss. Would you like me to come back up with that file?"

"Yes," Gibbs nods.

Tony leaves the room.

"What is going on?" Leon demands to know.

"Mossad found a weapon that they wanted to reproduce," Ziva begins.

"A weapon? One of the children?" Vance clarifies.

"Yes."

"Which one of them, and why?"

Gibbs takes over, "Hannah. They wanted to attempt to make another like her. Mossad had offers from at least three other countries that we know of, who were willing to pay a lot of money to have someone like Hannah in their arsenal."

"Hannah? She is eleven," Vance looks at them in confusion.

"She is still the best," Ziva answers.

"The only problem is that they did not want to spend as much on a second child as they did with Hannah," Gibbs adds.

"How much did they spend on Hannah?" Vance wonders.

"They had to spend money on treatments for Leukemia when she was four. They later linked the leukemia back to the sperm donor's family. They decided that if they wanted to create another person like Hannah they should use a different donor," Gibbs reveals.

"But train them the same?"

"They believed that part of the reason Hannah was so successful was in part due to her genetic make-up," Ziva divulges.

"What does this have to do with MN2011D?"

"He was their second attempt," Ziva answers.

"Was it successful?"

Before either Ziva or Gibbs can answer Tony returns. He sits Matthew's car seat in the center of the table. The baby sleeps peacefully as Tony returns to his seat. Director Vance stares at the baby.

"This is him? Why is he here? You should have returned him to his biological parents. Do they know that they have a newborn?"

Ziva looks to Tony. Gibbs stares at the baby. Tony answers for them, "Director if you wanted to reproduce a weapon that had the potential to make you a lot of money you would want to use the best parts, right?"

"Yes," Vance nods.

"For him there are two parts. One he shares with Hannah, and one he does not. Arguably the part that he does not share with Hannah had the potential to not only make him as good, but better."

"Your explanation is vague, Agent DiNozzo."

"They chose to use Ziva as the donor for him," Tony tells the director.

"He's your son?" Leon directs at Ziva.

Ziva nods, "He was born while we were in Israel."

"This was who Eli referred to as Daniel?"

"Leon what do you know about Daniel?" Gibbs questions.

"Eli told me that his secret weapon was Daniel, and that he wanted him returned to him."

Ziva's jaw tightens. The three men watch as the anger wash over her. She stands up, and smacks the table with the palm of her hand.

"He is not a weapon! He is a child," she shouts, "My child."

"Why was this kept a secret from me?" Leon interrogates the former Israeli.

"Because of who he is," her nostrils flare.

"He is Daniel?" Leon continues.

"His name is Matthew."

"He was supposed to be Daniel?" Leon clarifies.

"He was supposed to be a lot of things. He was supposed to be a cold-blooded killer, trained to feel nothing. He was supposed to be the best assassin that ever was. He was supposed to be Daniel, but he is not," she raises her voice.

"Why are you so angry?" Leon has the audacity to ask.

"Someone harvested my eggs without my knowledge. Someone used them to create two children without my knowledge. Two children created, to be used as weapons. I think that I have every right to be angry. Wouldn't you be?" she raves.

"Yes," he nods in understanding.

"You should back off a little," Tony suggests.

"Who is the other piece of the puzzle? The one who put together with you would create the best assassin there ever was?" Leon digs.

"If you had to choose someone to create a child like that with Ziva, who would you choose? If you could choose anyone. Anyone in the world, who would you pick?" Tony raises the question.

"I would choose someone talented. Someone his is rivaled by next to no one. I would choose someone with great accuracy, and great character," Leon answers.

"Who did you just describe? A man who is rivaled by next to no one? Is a great shot. With great character, a fearless leader?" Tony responds.

Leon stares at the sleeping baby, without saying a word. He watches the baby sleep peacefully, in a chaotic environment. There was only one person he knew who could remain so calm in such an environment.


	11. Beautiful Disaster

_A/N: so I know that some of you are a little upset by Matthew's paternity. Just see me through? I promise not everything is what it seems. What fun would it be if you could take it all at face value? I have big plans, and an ending that I think you will all like. _

* * *

Tony slides the file folder to Vance. Vance opens it up. He is immediately drawn to the lab results on the first page. He studies the DNA profiles. He looks up at the three people sitting around the table. His eyes stop on Agent DiNozzo. He traces his mustache, and then asks, "DiNozzo could you give Agents Gibbs, and David a moment alone with me?"

"Yes, sir," he nods heading for the door.

"Agent Gibbs will you clarify this for me?"

"Leon there is nothing to clarify. The facts are the facts. What you see, those are the facts."

"I want to hear it from you," Leon demands.

"A scientist in a lab, per the request of Eli David chose to combine Ziva's donor material, with mine, to create a child."

Leon points to the sleeping baby, "This child?"

"Yes," Gibbs nods.

"The two of you have a son together?" Vance clarifies.

"Don't say it like that. It is not as if we intended for this to happen. We had no control over this. We did not do anything wrong," Ziva replies defensively.

"This cannot work. The two of you can't work together if you have a child together. It compromises this agency," he lectures.

Gibbs, and Ziva don't even make eye contact. At the same time they pull out their guns and badges, and push them towards Leon.

"I don't want either of you to resign. I just want this taken care of."

Without a look in her direction Gibbs can feel Ziva's desire to throttle the director.

"Take care of this? Leon unlike you, we would not make a situation like this disappear. This isn't some file we can simply destroy. Maybe that would have been easier for you, but this is a child, not some PR disaster."

"It will be if people find out," Vance answers.

"Director this has nothing to do with you. Either you take our guns, and badges, and we will walk away from NCIS, or you let us stay, and leave us alone. We will figure this out, without your help. I agree that it is a complicated situation, but it does not affect you. This is none of your business. We are just letting you know out of courtesy. You never had to know about this," Ziva rages.

"Both of you, out before I say something I will regret. And take your damn badges, I don't want them," he snarls.

They grab their things, and leave the room. Gibbs carries the car seat with Matthew in it, down the stairs.

"Well that went better than I expected," Ziva comments.

"He won't let it go," Gibbs reveals.

"We should have..." Ziva replies.

He cuts her off, "We did the right thing."

"I hope that I can figure this out."

"You're not alone."

"I know."

Ziva sits at her desk. Tony holds baby Matthew at his desk. Ziva stares at a picture. A picture of her daughter. A daughter who was like her in too many ways. She's so consumed by her thoughts that she doesn't hear Tony approach. She looks up, and finds him standing next to her. He looks down at her.

"Tired of him already?"

"No. We were just having a great chat. He told me that he doesn't want to be a ninja, or a cowboy, or even a cop. He told me that he was thinking he wanted to be a quarterback, or a model. He's really conflicted about which one to pursue."

"He can be whatever he wants to be."

"You know, you could just call her," Tony reminds her.

"Call who?"

"Hannah. I am sure that you could join them in their shopping adventure. I know neither of them would mind."

"We have work to do."

"Did you read the email Vance sent you?"

"Did you?"

"You are on maternity leave, effective immediately."

"I can't take the baby shopping with me."

"Gibbs, what are you doing?" DiNozzo questions his boss.

Gibbs looks up from his paperwork. "Ziva I can watch him, if you don't trust him with Tony. You have the rest of his life to bond with him. You have a lot of catching up to do with Hannah."

"Are you sure?"

"I am his... father. I think I can handle it," Gibbs agrees.

"Ok," Ziva nods.

She picks up the phone, and dials Abby's number. An hour later she finds herself sitting in a restaurant with Hannah.

"Did you have fun with Abby?" Ziva questions.

"Yes," Hannah nods.

"You don't sound very convincing."

"Are you going to make me go to school?"

"It is a law," Ziva answers.

"I am not like normal kids," Hannah points out.

"I want you to be."

"I am never going to be normal. Nothing about my life is normal. Until a few days ago I had no parents."

"You had parents."

"No... we are told that our parents don't want us, and that is how we ended up where we were."

"Do you believe that?"

Hannah looks out the window. "It's ok that you don't want me."

"Why would you think that?"

"You have done nothing to convince me otherwise."

"Hannah this is hard for me to wrap my head around. I want you. I only wish that I had known about you."

"You wish that I didn't exist."

"I wish that I had been in control of the situation," she admits.

"What if I hadn't been made in a test tube?'

"What do you mean?"

"If you had gotten pregnant at seventeen," Hannah clarifies.

"Everything would have been different," she replies honestly.

"At seventeen you would have chosen to have me?"

"Hannah just because I have spent time in my life taking lives, does not mean that I do not value life."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I would have."

"You would have? I find that hard to believe"

"I would have had you. No matter what I would have had you," Ziva reveals.

"I don't know how to be normal. I am not normal. I... I know things, I have seen things...that some people never..."

"That's ok."

"Why are you so angry?"

"You are eleven, I didn't know about you until a few days ago. Someone took those eleven years from me. Someone took you from me."

"You didn't even know about me."

"It does not matter. I never understood how a parent could become so attached to one child. There are millions of children in the world, how could someone become so attached to just one? I never understood it, until I saw you. I saw you, and I understood."

"Before Gibbs told you..."

"He didn't have to tell me."

"Because I look like you?"

"Not because you look like me. It was the way that you looked at me. Gibbs is famous for having gut feelings, which I never really quite understood."

"Are you going to be ok?"

"One day. One day I will be ok. I may never be ok with the fact that I missed out on eleven years of your life, but one day I will be ok. Are you going to be ok?"

"I am fine."

"Meaning you aren't really fine, but you don't want to talk about it, or you are really fine?"

"Why do we have to talk about feelings?"

"They are important," Ziva answers.

"I don't like them. They make me feel weak."

"They make us human."

"I don't like to talk about them."

"Sometimes you have to."

"With you?"

"No. It doesn't have to be with me, but you do have to tell someone."

"Who do you tell?"

"I am not always as forthcoming with my feelings as I should be."

"That doesn't mean that no one can tell."

"You can tell?"

"I haven't figured you out yet, but Tony, he can tell."

"You think?"

"I see the way he watches you, when you are talking to him. It's almost as if I can see him trying to read between the lines."

"So tell me, am I what you pictured?"

"I knew what you looked like. I was in Eli's office once, and I saw the picture of you. That is when I knew, that is when I began to question it all. Am I what you pictured?"

"I was hoping you would be a little less like me."

"Why?"

"I guess I hoped that you played with dolls."

"What does that mean?"

"I wish that you were innocent. I wish you were more interested in playing with dolls than playing war. I guess now I understand where my mother was coming from."


	12. The Day Before You

"Ziva?"

Ziva looks at the girl sitting across the table from her. She brushes her bangs out of her face, she tucks them behind her ears.

"Hannah I am... your mother, you do not have to call me Ziva."

"It may take a while for me to get used to calling you anything else," she admits.

"What were you going to ask?"

"Did you know my..."

Ziva answers before she can finish, "No I never met him."

"What about Matthew?"

"What about him?"

"He is your son."

"Yes," she nods.

"With Agent Gibbs?"

"Yes."

"Why? What makes him so special?"

"Agent Gibbs was a sniper."

"Are you afraid that you won't be able to change things?"

"Change what?"

"Who we become?"

"I only hope that the two of you become good people."

"Not assassins, or snipers?"

"I would prefer that..."

"We save lives instead of end them?"

"I just hope that you learn to see the good in the world, instead of always looking for the bad. Sometimes you will be surprised."

"Isn't it going to be awkward trying to raise a child with your boss?"

"You may have a future as an interrogator."

"Sorry, I just have a lot of questions."

"Yes. It will be awkward."

"Do you have romantic feelings for him?"

"No."

"What about Tony?"

"What about him?"

"Do you have romantic feelings for him?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Wow, unbelievable. You don't know."

"Know what?"

"You are going to fall in love with him."

"I am not," Ziva argues, "I don't have time for those kinds of distractions right now."

"You have two children, so that means you can have no life, now?"

"I have two children, and usually work sixty hours a week, that means I can have no life."

"So were you in love with the guy from Miami?"

"How do you know about the guy from Miami?"

"You left me with Tony," she reminds her.

"He told you?"

"He seemed jealous."

"Don't tell him, but there is no one in Miami."

"You were just trying to make him jealous?"

"I was trying to annoy him, and I succeeded."

"Just to be clear, I still have to go to school?"

"Yes. I have to find a school for you. I have to find a bigger place to live, and someone to watch Matthew while I am working."

"The school thing can wait."

"Why don't you want to go to school? Are you afraid that you won't fit in?"

"I know I won't."

"You will learn."

"Maybe I don't want to."

"You will try."

"Yes ma'am."

"You do not seemed bothered that no one speaks Hebrew to you."

"I do not like speaking Hebrew. I prefer to speak English."

"Why?"

"Speaking Hebrew reminds me of where I have come from. I am not trying to deny who I am. I just... things weren't always pleasant, so I prefer not to think about them."

"Speaking Hebrew is part of who you are."

"It is not who I want to be. I do not want to be an Israeli trained Mossad assassin. I just want to be normal."

"I know."

"Although I don't think I have met anyone normal yet. Abby is really nice, but..."

"She isn't normal?" Ziva smiles.

"No."

"She is unique, and that is ok."

"When we would shoot at targets, I would always imagine faces. The faces were always of the people that I was with. They weren't the enemy, but I still shot them, and that was not ok with me."

"You should meet Ducky," Ziva replies.

"Ducky?"

"He is the Medical Examiner."

"He examines dead people?"

"Yes."

"Is he normal?"

"No, but you'll like him."

"Can we order now? I'm starving."

"Of course," Ziva yawns.

A week later Ziva finds herself settled into a new place, with a new routine. She makes her way into Hannah's room. She finds the eleven year old asleep on the floor.

"Hannah, get in bed," Ziva insists.

"Ok," Hannah climbs on top of the bed.

"Hannah under the covers," Ziva suggests.

"I'm not cold."

"Goodnight," she yawns as she turns out the bedroom light.

She walks down the hall towards her bedroom. Before she reaches it she begins to think about the shower that awaits her. Before she steps foot into the bedroom Matthew begins crying. She makes her way over to his crib. She lifts him out of the crib into her arms.

"Matthew you have been fed, and changed. I have rocked you, and sang to you. There is nothing wrong with you. Please go to sleep."

Her please prove futile. He continues to cry. She pats him. He cries louder. She walks back and fourth in front of the crib with him. He continues to cry. She sits down on the edge of her bed. She lies the wailing baby in her lap.

"I don't understand what you need. I wish that you could just tell me. You are driving me crazy. Could you please just go to sleep? I am very tired."

He ignores her. She touches his cheek. "You are acting like DiNozzo." He stops for a moment and looks at her. She kisses his cheek. "Is that it? You want to talk about DiNozzo?" The little boy stares up at her with big dark blue eyes. "Ok we can talk about DiNozzo. He told me you want to play for the Buckeyes. Is he right? It is ok if you want to play football, but you can't let it go to your head," she warns. His eyes remained fixed on her. "Do you think that we could finish this conversation in the bathroom? I need a shower. You can sit in your bouncy chair. What do you think?"

The baby doesn't object. She grabs her pajamas and takes the baby into the bathroom with her. She sits him on the floor in his bouncy chair. She turns on the shower. He begins crying.

"I take it we are not done talking?" Her voice quiets him from inside the shower. "So tell me what are we going to do tomorrow after we take Hannah to school? I think that we should come home and take a nap. Doesn't that sound good? Listen to me I sound crazy. I'm talking like an idiot. He doesn't even care what I say to him. He just likes my voice? It's ridiculous. Next I'm going to start talking about poop, and bottles when I am around adults. I think that I am spending too much time alone with a baby. I sound like someone's mother. Oh..." she stops herself. "Matthew are you still out there?" she pulls back the shower curtain and finds the baby sleeping in his bouncy seat. She finishes her shower, and quickly dries off. She pulls on her pajamas, and dries her hair. She puts Matthew in his crib, and climbs into bed. The instant she turns the light off he begins crying again. She climbs out of bed, and walks over to his crib. She picks him up out of the crib, and returns to her bed. She lies down, and places the cranky baby on her chest. She pats him until he falls back asleep. Afraid to wake him, she leaves him where he is. She pulls the covers over them. They stop at the baby's shoulders.

He walks into the apartment, and finds Hannah in the kitchen eating cereal.

"Morning," he greets.

"They're still asleep," she reveals.

"He won't be asleep for long," Gibbs looks at his watch.

"She won't either, if she's going to get me to school on time."

"I can take you."

"Why would you take me?"

"So she can sleep."

"Why doesn't she sleep when he sleeps?"

"Ask her," he replies.

He walks down the hall to Ziva's room. He carefully pushes open the door. He tiptoes over to her bedside. He finds Matthew asleep on her chest. One of Ziva's hands rests on the baby's butt, the other rests on his back. He carefully tries to slip the baby out from under her hands. Her grip tightens.

Without opening her eyes, "Why do you people always try to take him when I am sleeping?"

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"You are worse than Tony," she admits as she loosens her grip on the baby.

"I have an excuse."

"Just because he is your son, does not make it ok to sneak in my room, and take him."

"When would you like me to see him?"

"When I am awake Gibbs."

"I am usually at work."

She opens her eyes. "Why don't you keep him, overnight?"

"Would you be ok with that?"

"Not any less ok than someone prying him away from me while I am sleeping."

"You're not sleeping now."

"I was trying to sleep."

"You never sleep, do you?"

"I thought that I was a light sleeper before. Now I live in a house with two children, and I have become a basket case."

"Why don't I keep him tonight?"

"It's Friday night."

"Like I have plans."

"I'll bring him over after you get off work."

"Ok," he agrees as she lets go of the baby.


	13. Then You Look At Me

When she arrives at his house it is dark outside. She opens the door without knocking. He comes in from the kitchen to meet her. He takes the diaper bag, and tosses it on the couch. She sits the car seat on the coffee table. She pulls off the blanket covering it, and begins to un-strap the baby. She carefully lifts the straps over his head, and folds the arm of the car seat down. She slips the sleeping infant out of the carseat, and holds him. She stares at the sleeping baby for several moments. His thick brown hair is covered by an Ohio State Hat. It seemed to be the only one he would not pull off. His big blue eyes flutter open for a moment. They close quickly, and she looks at his long eyelashes. In addition to the long eyelashes there is a tiny button nose, and perfectly symmetrical lips. Under the lips is a cleft chin. A perfect little baby. Finally she realizes that she is not alone. She looks up at Gibbs, who is standing next to her, waiting on her to give him the baby. Without a word she slips the baby into his arms.

"I should get going, Hannah is waiting in the car," she turns to leave.

"Ziva, are you ok?"

"Fine," she lies, fighting the urge to cry.

"Ziva," he warns.

She turns around, and looks at him. "What?"

"If you aren't ok with leaving him, you don't have to. I just thought that you could use a break."

"I..." she struggles to answer.

He points to the couch, "Sit down," he insists, his palm up, his finger pointing to the couch.

She sinks onto the couch. He takes a seat next to her. "What is going on with you? I know something is bothering you, but I wish you would just tell me. I can't guess."

"I am not ok. With any of this. I am not ok with leaving him, I know that I have to, but I also don't understand why it is so hard. I am afraid that I am going to do the wrong thing. I don't know what I'm doing. There are two of them, and one of me, and I do not have any idea how to take care of them, and keep them from..." she trails off.

"That is ok. You will learn."

"How? This is not... I was not ready for this. I had no time to prepare. Everything has changed. I have two children, I moved, I am not at work, I spend all day at home with a baby. Sometimes I am afraid that I am not bonding with him, and other times I am afraid that spending every minute with him is not normal. And Hannah... I don't know what to say to her. She won't open up to me. I ask her about school, and all she will tell me is that it was fine. She tells me the same thing every day. I don't know how to talk to her. I spend every moment of every day with them, and it still seems like it isn't enough. I feel..." she stops. She realizes that she cannot stop the tears. One trickles down her cheek.

"It's ok, you can say it," Gibbs reassures her.

"I feel overwhelmed. This is all so new, so different. I would feel more at ease walking through a mine field, at least then, it is only my life I am screwing up."

"You need a break."

"A break? I am a parent now. I have learned that it is a 24/7 job, 365 days a year. You don't get to call in sick, or take comp time."

"But it is ok to ask for a break."

"No, it's not," she argues as tears stream down her face.

"What do you need? What can I do for you to make this easier?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"Just tell me," Gibbs insists, "You are not any good to them if you aren't taking care of yourself."

"I'm tired."

"Go home, go to sleep," Gibbs offers.

"How? I promised Hannah that we would watch some movie."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I don't."

"Ziva you need a break."

"I have been doing this for less than two weeks. I do not need a break."

"You do. And you should take one."

"How?"

"Ziva what do you need? Do you need to sleep? Do you need to talk to someone?"

"I need my partner," she admits, blinking away tears.

"He understands?"

"I don't know, but he pretends to, at the very least."

"Go home, and call him. Have dinner with him, talk to him."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I have responsibility..." she begins.

He gets up from the couch. He returns the baby to her, and leaves the living room. "Where are you going?" she wonders. He walks out of the house shutting the door behind him. Moments later he returns with Hannah.

"Gibbs what are you doing?"

"She's going to stay with me tonight," he answers.

"Hannah you..."

"I already packed a bag," Hannah admits.

"Why?"

"Because you need a time out," Hannah smiles.

"Hannah I'm fine," she argues.

"No you're not. You started to fall asleep at a red light on the way home from school. Go home, take the night off. I will be fine."

"Are you sure?" she questions the eleven year old.

"Yes, you should probably go. Your dinner is probably getting cold," Hannah adds.

"Dinner?"

"I called Tony," Hannah reveals, "He's waiting on you."

"Gibbs I..."

"We're fine here. I was just getting ready to order a Pizza. Besides I am a little bit rusty when it comes to babies. It's probably best that Hannah stays and helps me."

"You don't have to do this, any of it," she says softly

Gibbs scoops the sleeping baby out of her arms.

"Yes I do," he disagrees.

Ziva kisses Matthew. She hugs Hannah before leaving.

"Do not kiss me," Hannah warns.

"Why not?"

"I am too old," Hannah argues.

Ziva rolls her eyes, and heads to her car. She drives home. When she gets home she finds Tony waiting on her doorstep with a bag of takeout.

"Hannah called?" Ziva questions.

"Uh huh," he nods as she unlocks the door.

He follows her in. They shed their coats. He follows her into the living room. He takes a seat on the couch. He places the food on the coffee table.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing," she lies.

"You have been crying."

"No, I have not," she lies.

"Don't lie. I talked to Hannah ten minutes ago."

"How?"

"She called me."

"I am fine..."

"If you were fine you would have insisted that I go. Obviously you aren't fine. Talk to me," he pleads.

"How am I supposed to do this? I have no clue how to be someone's mother. It would be one thing if I just had Matthew. He is a baby, he doesn't know if I am screwing up. But Hannah, she is eleven, she knows that I don't know what I'm doing."

"I don't think that she cares."

"Tony, I am not good with talking about feelings. Hannah knows that. I try to get her to talk to me, but she won't."

"You're afraid?"

"Yes," Ziva nods.

"Of what?"

"I see so much of myself in her. I do not want her to be like me."

"Ziva you are a good person."

"I haven't always been."

"I don't think you have to worry about her."

"How do you know?"

"Like you said, she is like you. She might make some mistakes, but she's stubborn, and she's resilient."

"On what planet am I qualified to be their parent?"

"You are their mother, the biological connection is all you need."

"I have no maternal instincts."

"Really? Have you ever taken care of a newborn before?"

"No."

"Is he still alive?"

"Yes."

"So you must have some."

"I am having a hard time with this."

"That's because you won't let anyone help you. Ziva you are just one person. It takes a village to raise a child. We have all offered to help you, and you refuse."

"Because none of you have any obligation to them. They are my responsibility."

"You can't do it on your own."

"Obviously. I had a break down when I was dropping Matthew off. Gibbs sent me home, alone. He obviously does not think I am capable of doing this."

"He thinks that you need time to adjust. Most people have nine months to prepare to the idea of being a parent. You didn't. You were just thrown into it. It is going to take time to get used to."

"I wake up every morning, and I am still surprised to find that there is a baby sleeping in a crib in my room. I look at him, and I still can't believe that he is mine. I know he is, but... how could something so..."

He cuts her off, "He is lucky to have you. They both are. Ziva most people in the same situation would not have chosen to do what you are doing. Most people didn't choose to do what you are doing."

"I just want to do it right, but I don't know how. This is not how I pictured this."

"Pictured what?"

"Having a family."

"Tell me how you pictured it."

"I guess I was naive to think that I could have that picture."

"Tell me about it."

"In my head I figured that I would be married. I would be ready to have a child. I guess I just figured that I wouldn't be doing this alone."

"That you would have a traditional family? One where you know about the kids before they are born. One where you give birth to them, and they aren't created without your knowledge, and carried by a gestational carrier?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Maybe you can still have part of that."

"How?"

"I don't know," he pulls her towards him. He sits on the couch. She rests her head on his chest.

"Tony?"

"Huh?" he looks down at her.

"Hannah said the strangest thing to me the other day."

"What's that?"

"She told me that I was going to fall in love with you."

"So you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Your daughter is slightly manipulative."

"How so?"

"Who got us here together right now? I think for some reason, that I have not quite figured out, just yet, she wants us to be together."

"She does like you. I think that she likes you more than she likes me, to be perfectly honest. Why would she want us to be together?"

"I guess we're the closest thing to normal she can find."

"Then I really need to make sure she meets new people. We are by no one's definition, normal," her eyes meet his. He says nothing, but with one looks she knows that he understands. She sees something different in him. She looks into his big eyes, and she finally sees the truth, that she had been overlooking, all along.


	14. I See You

"Tony?"

"Yes Ziva?"

"Why have you been hanging around so much lately?"

"I want to ensure that I can brainwash baby Matthew into becoming a football player," he jokes.

"I'm serious."

"Are you hungry? I brought Chinese?"

"It's cold now. And you are trying to change the subject."

"Sorry."

"Answer me, please."

"I guess I like to watch you."

"That is creepy."

"I didn't mean it in a creepy way. I just I like watching you with them. It is a side of you I have never seen before, and I like it."

"Oh. I do not know what to say to that."

"And Hannah cracks me up."

"Can I ask why you bought her that," she points to a console by the television.

"You said you wanted her to be like other kids her age."

"I didn't mean I wanted her to play video games all day long."

"Does she?"

"No. She usually just plays them when you're around," she admits.

"That's because she enjoys beating me, at every game we play."

"She never asks me to play."

"Because she likes winning. She gets that from you."

"Yes, unfortunately she gets a lot of things from me."

"Ziva?"

"Yes?"

He pulls the pony tail out her hair. "That's much better."

"Why did you do that?" she inquires.

"You need to let your hair down more often."

"If I let my hair down I will get baby formula in it. I am thinking about getting it cut."

"Don't."

"It is not practical. Matthew always gets tangled up in it, and..."

"He told me that he likes it."

"He tells you a lot of things, which is funny, considering he doesn't talk."

"You just aren't listening close enough."

"What would I hear if I listened closer?"

"Ziva," he whispers.

"Why are you being so unusual?"

"I am unusual."

"You know what I mean."

"I am having a really hard time keeping my thoughts to myself right now," he reveals, he looks at the room around them, trying not to give himself away.

Ziva looks around the living room. "I know, it's a mess. I don't know how to keep up. I pick up, and as soon as I turn around it looks like this again."

"I hadn't noticed," he admits.

"What are you talking about, then?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me. Or I will have to hurt you."

"You are too sleep deprived to hurt me. You have big dark circles under your eyes."

"I could take you in my sleep."

"You don't sleep," he points out.

"Tony, just tell me."

"Everything is changing," he comments.

"Uh huh," she nods in agreement.

"I kind of like it."

"You like it? You enjoy the chaos that is my life?"

"Uh huh," he nods.

She looks at him, and recognizes the look on his face. "You can't be serious. I am a mess," she looks at the shoulder of her shirt, "There is spit up on my shirt."

"I don't care."

"You don't care?"

"No."

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she calls him out.

"Hannah is a really observant kid."

"Yes, I know."

"She was right, wasn't she?"

"She is right about a lot of things. You will have to be more specific."

"You know what I am talking about."

"Do I?"

"What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

"Are you going to kiss me?"

"Answer the question, and we'll see."

She rolls over, pinning him to the couch. Her face is centimeters from his. "I don't think you have it in you," she declares.

"You're wrong," he argues.

"Really?"

He doesn't say another word. He puts his hand behind her neck, and pulls her towards him. He kisses her, and she doesn't pull away. The kiss ends only when they can avoid oxygen no longer. She takes a breath, and looks at him, her face only centimeters from his. She looks into his eyes, "What did you do that for?"

"I had to know," he answers.

"Had to know what?"

"Now I know," he replies.

"Know what?"

"That I am not crazy."

"You are crazy," she argues.

"Yes, but I am not the only one," he rephrases.

"No. You are not," she agrees.

"We are done talking, aren't we?"

"What do you think?"

He answers with a kiss.

Gibbs sits in his living room, eating Pizza. Hannah sits on the couch next to him. Matthew sleeps in his playpen in the corner of the room.

"Hannah do you know about rule number twelve?" Gibbs questions between bites.

"Yes. It is a stupid rule."

"You think?"

"Definitely."

"Why is that?"

"People should be allowed to be with whoever they want to be with."

"Why do you want her to be with him?"

"A girl can dream, can't she?"

"Tell me about your dream."

"I guess I always hoped that I would find my parents, and they would be together."

"But that isn't possible."

"I realize now that was selfish. I just want her to be happy, but..."

"But?"

"When I pictured what my family would be like, there were two parents, not just one. I know that this isn't a fairytale and people don't always end up happily ever after..."

He cuts her off, "Why Tony?"

"He loves her, isn't that obvious?"

"I try to ignore it."

"And he likes us. When she had to take Matthew to his pediatrician, and someone had to pick me up from school, he was the first to volunteer."

"I know. He is very close to Ziva. He is her partner."

"If he was just her partner he would have just taken me home, and waited for her to get back."

"He didn't?"

"He tried to win me over."

"How so?"

"He took me to the arcade, and to the mall. When she called to tell him that she was done, and on her way home, he told her that he would bring me home after dinner."

"He likes you. You are a likable kid."

"He is fascinated by me, but that is not the point. I think that he is trying to prove that he can be an adult, to her."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because me made me eat a salad instead of fries. He told me that I could have a hamburger, but only if I ate a salad instead of fries. That is something a..." she stops herself.

"A dad would do?"

She nods.

Her eyes pop open. She finds her head resting on Tony. She rolls off him, onto the other end of the couch. He smiles at her.

"I fell asleep?"

He nods with a smirk.

"What were we talking about?" she asks.

"It doesn't matter."

She starts to fidget.

"Something wrong?" he questions.

"I am sitting on something," she reveals. She untucks her leg from underneath her. She lifts herself off the couch, and pulls the object out from under her. She holds it up. She looks at for a few seconds, and tosses it on the coffee table.

"You wanna talk about it?" he questions.

"About what?" she replies staring at the pacifier laying on the coffee table.

"That," he points.

She looks away. He moves towards the other end of the couch. He stops when he reaches the seat next to her. He gently touches her chin with his fingers. He turns her head stowards him. "Please," he asks as she fights tears.


	15. Let Her Cry

She blinks, in attempt to prevent the tears from falling. He takes her hand in his. He squeezes it.

"I don't have anywhere to be," he reminds her.

She makes a sudden realization, "It is Friday night. Why don't you have a date?"

"You need me," he replies.

"Yes," she admits.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on in your head right now, or are you going to make me guess?"

"I do not understand it."

"Understand what?"

"I miss my baby," she admits as a single tear falls.

"Why is that so hard to understand?"

"Because I just left them, and I already miss them."

"You are their mother, I think it is part of the deal."

"I know that they are fine. I know that Gibbs wouldn't let anything happen to them."

"But?"

"I miss my baby. I miss both of them. It is too quiet."

"Why?"

"Why is it too quiet?"

"Why do you miss them?"

"That is the part I don't understand. Two weeks ago, I was living my life, not knowing. I went to work, and I had no clue. Now they are here, and when I'm not with them..."

"You are attached to them."

"It doesn't make any sense. I have only known about Hannah for twelve days, and Matthew he is only ten days old. How could I become so attached so quickly? I do not understand it. If I had..." she stops.

"If you had given birth to them, you would understand?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"Ziva it is ok to feel emotional. It is ok to let it out."

She lets the tears flow freely. He doesn't wipe them away. He lets her cry. Her face turns red, and he inches closer. He kisses her temple, and pulls him closer to him. He feels her tears soaking through his shirt, but he doesn't care.

"Let it out," he begs.

She pushes him away. Her jaw tightens. She hits him in the chest with the sides of her firsts. He doesn't flinch.

"You will never move past the anger if you don't tell someone," he reminds her.

She leans back, and looks at him. She runs her fingers through her hair, brushing it out of her face, "I hate him. If she hadn't been there with me, if I had been in a room, alone with him. He would be dead. I would have killed him. How could he think that this would be ok? What kind of sick, twisted monster could do something like this? To his own daughter? He had my eggs harvested when I was sixteen, in attempt to create a weapon? What kind of person could do something like that? She is a child, not a weapon. She is my child. How could he..." she takes a breath, "How could he think that was ok? Did he really think that I would never find out?" she snarls.

"I don't know," he answers softly.

"She is eleven years old. Eleven years old, and I have missed everything. He took that from me. He took her from me. He tried to created a cold blooded killer. She is so much like me, and I hate it. I don't want her to be like me. I don't want her to be angry at the world, I don't want her to..." she trails off.

"Say it," he begs.

"I don't want her to be me. I don't want her to feel the things that I have felt, or see the things that I have seen. I just want her to be a normal little girl. But she can't, she never will be. She has already seen too much to have a normal childhood. It is bad enough that he kept her from me. It is bad enough that he wanted to turn her into a cold-blooded killer. He took her childhood, and he took her ability to trust anyone. The worst part is, he stole her innocence. I hate him for that. You don't know how hard it was for me, to see him. It was all I could do not to rip his heart out of his chest."

"I know."

"He really thought that I would never find out. He really thought that I wouldn't know?"

"I don't know."

"I look at Matthew, and he is so innocent. He is such a perfect little baby, and I realize that she was just like him once. She was a sweet little baby, and he took that from her. I don't even know what she looked like as a baby. I don't even have a picture of her. How could anyone do something like that to a child? To a baby. How could you take them and turn them into monsters? I knew that my father was not...a man with a pure heart, but I did not know that he was evil. I just thought that he was selfish, but he is evil. I hate to think what Matthew would have become, had Hannah not shown up when she did. He never would have stood a chance. In that environment, he would have become someone's worst nightmare. He would have been..."

"When you picture him as an adult, had we not intervened, what do you see?"

"An angry man. Someone like Damon Werth, when we first met him. Strong, and out for blood. A man who just wanted to kill."

"That is not who Matthew is going to be, you know that, right?"

"Sometimes I know that. I pray that he is enough like his father to be a good man."

"Ziva," he cups her face with his hands, "Listen to me. Just because you have done things in your past, that you would not do today, does not mean you are a bad person. You are a good person."

She shakes her head, "No I'm not. Part of me, I always knew, and I didn't do anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Part of me, I always knew that she was out there, and I did nothing."

"How could you know?"

"I cannot explain. I just I always felt like there was a piece of me missing. I tried to ignore it, for such a long time. I tried, in all the wrong ways, to prove that I was whole, that nothing was missing, but I could never do it. Nothing ever made that feeling go away. I should have known."

"How could you have known?"

"I am her mother, that is supposed to mean something."

"It does. To her, it means the difference in life and death. You know that."

She nods, and allows him to embrace her.

"I know you see yourself in her. I do too, but that doesn't mean she is going to make all the same choices that you have. I think she will learn from your mistakes."

"What do you see in her?"

"Like you, she is hard to read. She is angry. She hates when people are treated unfairly. She doesn't always restrain herself, when she should. But her smile, lights up the world. If you want her trust you have to earn it, you have to prove yourself. She refuses to simply believe the things people tell her. She lives to prove people wrong. She likes to torment me. Sometimes she lies, so she doesn't hurt people, even if they deserve it. She does not like losing. She feels the need to redeem herself. Most importantly, she doesn't give up, even when everyone else does. She holds onto hope, because sometimes that is all you have."

She stares into his eyes. "She talks to you, she tells you things that she won't tell me. Why?"

"You ask too many questions. If you just listen, she'll tell you, everything you want to know, on her own time."

"Is there anything I should know?"

"She is learning restraint."

"How do you know?"

"You won't like it," he tells her.

"Tell me," she insists.

"One of her classmates asked her if she was a terrorist."

"She didn't send anyone to the hospital did she? Did she hurt someone?"

"She replied, 'I don't know, are a member of the KKK,' and she walked away."

"She is going to get into trouble."

"No. She has a special brand of charm that no one can resist."

"Really?"

"Yes. She and that girl are like best friends now."

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"That is unfortunate."

"Why?"

"They are moving her to the eighth grade on Monday."

"Eighth? Isn't that a bit of a jump? She is in the fifth grade."

"They just got her test scores back. They are all at or above an eighth grade level. She is bored in class, so they are moving her to eighth grade."

"She'll be in middle school?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"We just found out today."

"How did she take it?"

"I think she was relieved. She was bored."

"What are you thinking about?" he notices a far off look in her eyes.

"Nothing," she lies.

"Why don't you call Gibbs, and check in?"

"I am sure they are fine."

"So am I, but you're going to drive yourself crazy if you don't call."

"I have to learn to..." she begins.

He rolls his eyes, and pulls his phone out of his pocket. He dials Gibbs.

"What are you doing?" she questions.

Tony ignores her, and listens to the phone ring. Finally someone picks up. "Gibbs phone," Hannah answers.

"Why are you answering Gibbs phone?"

"He is in the middle of changing a diaper."

"Oh. Ziva wanted me to call and make sure that everyone is still alive."

"Yeah. We're fine. Tell her not to worry. We've only dropped the baby once so far."

"Ha ha. I am not telling her that."

"We are fine. Matthew is half asleep."

"You're having fun?"

"Yep, we were working on the boat."

"Goodnight."

"Night Tony. Hey one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Tell I love her."

"Of course."

He hangs up the phone.


	16. I Will Wait

"They are ok?"

"Yes. Hannah wanted me to tell you that she loves you."

"Oh."

"Zi, you are not your father. You know that, right?"

"Yes," she nods.

"She is going to push your buttons, don't let her push you away."

"Where is this coming from?"

"Like mother, like daughter."

"That is still so strange for me to hear."

"The word mother? In context to you? Would you prefer I call you mom, mommy, maybe? Ima?"

"I am not your mother."

"You could be," he jokes.

She smiles, "That is not funny."

"No, but it made you smile."

"You can always make me smile."

"I wouldn't be doing my job, if I couldn't."

"I need to know..."

"Know what?"

"Why are you so interested in my daughter?"

"I do not understand the question."

"Why are you trying so hard, to connect with her?"

"I don't want to answer."

"You do not have a choice."

"Originally it was just because I was completely fascinated by her, and she is your daughter."

"And now?"

"Maybe it isn't my place."

"Tell me," she insists.

"She needs a father. She doesn't have one. I guess I'm just trying to fill a void. I know what it's like when you're missing someone in your life, and no one ever steps up to the plate. Maybe I shouldn't get her hopes up, I am not her father, and let's face it, you and I, we will probably never be together. I shouldn't give her false hope, but..."

"It's ok."

"It is?"

"You are right. She needs a father. She needs a man like you in her life. If you are willing to step up to the plate, I will not fault you for that. I am glad that you are around, she opens up to you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she nods.

"And you know if she ever has a father-daughter dance, she should know I would be honored to take her, if she wanted me to."

"Tony..."

"Yeah, Ziva?"

"If I had gotten a choice, if had been able to have any say, knowing what I know now, I would have chosen you."

"Chosen me?"

"To be her father. Just a few weeks ago, I would not have said that. You are childish, and often immature, but she brings out the best in you."

"How is the dynamic between you and Gibbs right now?"

"It is different. It is hard for me to picture him as the father of my child, but once again, I didn't get a choice."

"He is a good father."

"He is a good man."

"Matthew will be like him. He will be a good man."

"Tony you are a good man too. Hopefully he can learn some things from you."

"Like what?"

"Sometimes, you can't take things so seriously, sometimes you just have to laugh."

"He is going to be a big boy."

"You'll teach him to play football?"

"We've already had a few lessons."

"I wondered where the football came from. I should have known it was you."

"Ziva..."

"Huh?"

"You should go to bed."

"Are you leaving?"

"I should go."

"You should stay."

"I can't," he argues.

"Why not?"

"If I stay I will want to..." he pauses.

"You will want to what?"

"You are like a woman out of a fairytale, you are too good to be true. You are a ninja, who could kill me. You are someone I can count on to always have my back. You are an incredible partner. I see you with Hannah, and Matthew, and I wonder, what aren't you good at."

"I am not good at dealing with the way I feel," she admits.

"Neither am I."

"You're right you should go."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"If you stay I know how this will end."

"You do? You are a physic now?"

"No, but I know how this will play out if you stay."

"Tell me."

"You will end up in bed with me. You will wake up, and feel guilty for taking advantage of me, when I was vulnerable. Although, for the record, no one takes advantage of me. You will wonder if you have rushed into things. You will wonder if you have complicated things. You will wonder if my expectations have changed."

"And you?"

"I will want more, more than one night, but I won't tell you. I will wonder why I was too foolish to see you, all along. I will wonder what it would be like, if you were more than my partner. If you were just what I had been looking for. I will wonder if it is because you are amazing with Matthew, and Hannah, or because I love you."

"Which will win?"

"All of them, but tonight, none of them."

"Why?"

"I am putting my libido on the shelf, not to mention the crib in my room is a real mood killer."

"You want my sex?" he questions.

"That is a song, isn't it?"

"I am surprised you knew that."

"I am full of surprises."

"That is very true."

"Hannah's predictions are right?"

"How often is she wrong?"

"Ziva?"

"Yes?"

"You are tired, and you should go shower, go to sleep."

"You're going?"

"I am staying."

"We are not going to..."

"I do not want to have sex with you."

"That is a lie. You have been undressing me with your eyes for years."

"But I do not want to have sex with you tonight. You are sleep deprived, and I will always wonder if I was able to bend you to my will because of that."

"So what, then? You will sleep on the couch?"

"No."

"Where are you going to sleep? Hannah's twin bed," the thought brings a smirk to her face.

"She has barbie sheets? And a pink comforter?"

"Her blankets are green."

He stands up. He lifts her off the couch, she is caught completely off guard.

"What are you doing?" she asks as he leaves the living room.

"Taking you upstairs. As much as I am enjoying talking to you, you need to go to sleep."

"I can walk."

He carries her up the stairs. He pushes her door open with his foot. He flips on the light, and sets her on the floor. She wanders into the closet. When she comes out she finds him sitting on her bed.

"What are you doing?"

"I know that this is totally inappropriate, for me to share the same bed, but I do not care. Go take your shower."

"Let me guess, you'll be waiting."

"Yes."

She heads into the bathroom, and turns on the shower. He pulls off his dress shirt, and slacks. He wears only boxers, a t-shirt, and his socks. He lays down on her bed. When she gets out of the shower he is snoring. She flips off the light, and climbs in bed beside him. In his sleep he rolls over, and puts his arm around her. When she wakes hours later, she finds him staring at her.

"You're still here?"

"Do you recall our conversation from last night?"

"I do," she nods.

"Is this the part where you tell me it was the sleep deprivation talking?"

"If it had been sleep deprivation, you would be on the floor right now."

"Good to know."

"Are you going to lay there all day?"

He rolls over, and wraps his arms around her. "I know that you can get away, but I need you to humor me."

She rolls over to face him. "Go ahead," she looks him in the eyes.

"I think we should go on a date."

"Dating is for people who do not know each other. I know everything there is to know about you."

"I don't know everything there is to know about you."

"You know everything important."

"There is one thing that I have to know."

"I don't think I am allowed to go anywhere," she reminds him.

"You are really willing to..."

"If I wasn't, you would be in a headlock right now."

"Ziva you know that this is the worst possible time to start a relationship."

"When have I ever had good timing? Or good luck? I have a child with our boss."

"He can't know."

"Ever?"

"Until we have sealed the deal."

"Until we have had sex?"

He smiles, "Until you have signed a marriage certificate."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Tony?"

"I met this crazy ninja girl, she's eleven, and she makes me do things that I am to afraid to do on my own. She reminds me that life, is not always about following the rules. Sometimes you have to play the cards you are dealt, and some times you have to place bets, even when you're scared to."

"She has you wrapped around her little finger."

"I want this, do you want this?"

"Yes."

"And now there is a third party to put a boot up both our asses, and kick us into gear."

"Maybe she should be a motivational speaker, because whatever she said to you seemed to really resonate with you.

* * *

_A/N: I hope you enjoyed. R&R. Thanks for all the feedback. _


	17. Prototype

He lets go of her. He smiles, "You know what she told me?"

"I would like to know, yes."

_He sits there staring at an eleven year old, who was wise beyond her years. She knew how to negotiate, she new how to get what she wanted, and make people she what they wanted. She made him realize that even in complete darkness, even when the world was cold, and she was alone, there was hope. He watches her eat her dessert. She looks up. She sets her fork aside, and swallows._

_"Tony?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"You are not my father."_

_"I know."_

_"That does not mean you should not be with my mother. That doesn't mean I don't wish that you were."_

_"She doesn't want that."_

_"How will you know if she loves you, if you never ask her to? How will you ever get into her heart, if you never ask? You expect her to choose you, but how can she, when you won't make yourself an option?"_

_"How did you get to be so wise?"_

_"I was six the first time I ran away. Unlike normal kids, I didn't pack my bags, and go to grandma's, or hide in a tent in the back yard. I walked four miles in the desert, and climbed a mountain, not a figurative one, a real one. I got to the top, and I could see everything around me. But for the first time in my life, I didn't feel alone. I knew that out there, somewhere, beyond what I could see, there was more. Somewhere out there in the world, someone was searching for an answer. I knew somewhere someone needed an answer to a question that they didn't know to ask. I knew if I believed enough I would find that person. I would find them, and I would see them, and I would know, that was the answer. And they would look at me, and I would be their answer. I would be the missing piece. I knew that the part of me that I was missing, it was out in the world somewhere. If I did not find it, my journey would mean nothing. I could be the best at anything, and everything, and it would not matter. You have to have all the pieces to make a whole. I found the piece that makes me whole. One day I will get that feeling again, and it won't be my mother I am looking for. One day it will be someone else. I can see that you feel the same. You feel like something is missing, but you know what it is. You know, and you are to afraid to reach out for it. You are afraid that it will not reach back."_

_"I'm taking advice from an eleven year old?"_

_"Parallel lines never intersect. They go on forever, right next to each other, they can see each other, but they can never touch. They go on with each other, but never really together. But if someone were to push them hard enough, maybe they would intersect."_

_"Hannah now is not the time. This is not the right time."_

_"You love her?"_

_"Do I have to answer?"_

_"I know that you do."_

_"I do," he nods._

_"There is never going to be a right time. The only time is now. You can't know that it will work, just like you can't know it won't, if you never try. You can't spend your whole life waiting for things to happen."_

_"I know."_

_"What are you afraid of? If you are afraid she won't love you back... she already does."_

_"I am afraid it will end the same way it always ends. I am no good at relationships. I care about her too much to lose her. I don't want to wake up, and realize that I have ruined the best friendship I have ever had. I don't want to love her, and let her down. I don't want to hurt her."_

_"You would rather wake up alone for the rest of your life? You would rather let her go, than take a chance on her? Haven't you learned by now, she is a safe bet?"_

_"Are you sure that you are only eleven?"_

_"When you spend your whole life, learning how to survive, how to kill, you learn a thing or two. You learn that if you don't tell someone what you feel today, it doesn't matter. In my experience people don't always stick around. They are there one day, and gone the next. When you think that something is permanent, things always change."_

He looks at her with bewilderment.

"Tony what is that look for?"

"Get dressed. We need to go get Hannah."

"Why?"

"Something she said," he answers.

"What did she say?"

"People don't always stick around."

"So? That is true."

"How would she know that? Who has left her? She has been with the same people her whole life."

"What are you getting at?" she questions as she peels off her pajamas.

He doesn't even look twice as she strips. She heads into the closet. He buckles his belt.

"Ziva I think this is even bigger than we thought," he answers as he pulls on his shirt.

"What do you mean?" she wonders.

"Hurry up!"

She pulls on a long sleeved shirt, and pair of jeans. She comes out of the closet, and sits down on the bed to put her socks on.

"Tony I don't understand what is going on."

"I think that there are more of them."

"More of them? What are you talking about?"

"Thirty, that is not a large number."

"What is your point?"

"We have to talk to Hannah."

"I'll drive," she answers.

Ten minutes later they arrive at Gibbs. They rush into the living room.

"Where is the fire?" Gibbs questions.

"Where is Hannah?" Tony fires back.

"In the bathroom, brushing her teeth, why?"

"Hannah!" Ziva calls out.

Hannah comes out of the bathroom. "You two look angry," she realizes.

"Something you said the other day, you forget, and sometimes you still talk in code," Tony accuses.

"Sometimes. I usually don't even realize I'm doing it," she admits.

"What's going on?" Gibbs questions as he holds Matthew.

"Hannah, you lied to us," Ziva answers.

She looks Ziva in the eyes, "About what?"

"Do not lie to me," Ziva insists.

"Hannah how many of you are there?" Tony attempts to clarify.

"One. There is only one of me."

"There are more than thirty, aren't there?" Ziva wonders.

"Yes," she nods.

"How many?" Tony probes.

"Ten. They are the prototypes," she reveals.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Tony raises his eyebrow.

"They are already in place," she admits.

"In place? Where?"

"Different places."

"Tell me!" Ziva stamps her foot.

"Do you think she knows?" Gibbs stands up.

"She has a photographic memory. She has seen the files. She knows what's in them," Ziva tells him.

"It's true. I know," Hannah sinks onto the couch.

"Tell us," Gibbs begs.

"MNI, MNIV, and MNX, are all here. They are Marines. MNII, MNVI, and MNVIII, are Mossad. MNIII, and MNIX, are free agents. MNV, and MNVII are ISA. Five were born in 1992, and five were born in 1993. They decide that five a year was too many. There six male, and four female."

"Start with the Marines," Ziva directs.

"Duncan, Miles, and Rider born in 1992. This is the part that, no one is going to like," she warns.

"Tell us anyway," Tony demands.

"They were born here. They were trained here, by Mossad operatives."

"Their donors?" Gibbs explores.

"Duncan's is a former CIA..." she begins.

"This would be easier if you had a computer?" Tony assumes.

She nods. He walks out to the car. He returns with a laptop. She turns it on, and hacks into the records in less than two minutes.

"Duncan's donors are Grant Hedley, and former Mossad officer Anah Oved. He was born March 7th 1992. Miles donors were Mossad Officer Ilan Koren, and FBI sharp shooter, Grace Miller. Miles was born August 25th 1992. Finally we have Rider. This is the one that no one is going to like. I know that I should have told you, but..." she trails off.

"Tell us now!" Ziva replies impatiently.

"Right. Rider was born on November 3rd 1992. She weighed seven pounds nine ounces."

Gibbs looks at Hannah. "Why are you stalling? Is this the part where you tell me I have another child I am unaware of?"

"No. You do not have anymore that I am aware of," she answers.

"So why are you stalling?" Tony asks.

"Because you will not like who the donors are," she admits.

"Who are they?" the three of them ask in unison.

"Former Mossad director, Eli David," she reveals.

"And?" Gibbs motions for more.

"Redheads stand out. They do not fly under the radar," Hannah recites.


	18. Ice Box

"Rider is a red head? Why does it matter? He would need to shave his head anyway," Tony questions.

"Rider is a girl," Hannah clarifies.

"That changes things a little," Tony admits.

"So who is Rider's biological mother?" Ziva inquires.

"Former NCIS director, Jenny Shepard."

None of them say a word. Hannah holds up the computer for them to see. She points to a picture on the screen. "This is her."

"Where can we find her?" Gibbs queries.

"Annapolis. She is the top of her class," Hannah reveals.

"Of course she is."

"She knows more about all of this than I do."

"How do you know?" Tony probes.

"She spent every summer in Israel. I have spent a lot of time with her. She was my bone marrow donor," Hannah discloses, "We always called her the gate keeper."

"The gate keeper?" Tony furrows his brow.

"She knows everything there is to know. She knows far more than I do."

Tony looks at Ziva, who looks to Gibbs.

"Why are the three of you still standing here? You should be on your way to Annapolis," he questions.

"You aren't coming?" Tony clarifies.

"Someone has to stay with the baby," Ziva points out.

"The three of you should go. I would prefer to stay," Gibbs clarifies.

"Ok," Tony nods.

Hannah grabs the laptop, "Let's go," she heads for the door.

They climb into the car. Tony is barely buckled before Ziva is speeding down the street.

"Hannah how are we going to find Rider?"

"They are allowed visitors," Hannah answers.

"Hannah it would be easier to tell us what you know," Ziva suggests.

"Her name is Rider Avye Hayden. She is at Annapolis. She knows that Eli is her father. She knows that Jenny was her mother."

"Does she have any contact with Eli?" Tony queries.

"Yes. They speak regularly."

"Did Jenny know about her?" Ziva wonders.

"I don't know. She would never say. She refused to talk about it."

Twenty five minutes later they arrive at Annapolis. Tony, and Ziva allow Hannah to lead the way. She approaches an instructor.

"I am looking for Rider Hayden, do you know her?" Hannah inquires.

"She is in room 321," he reveals.

"Thank you," Hannah smiles.

Tony and Ziva follow her into a building nearby. As they climb the stairs Tony asks, "Have you been here before? You seem to know your way around."

"No. I haven't actually been here, but I know the campus. Part of our training is to learn the blueprints of important buildings."

At the top of the stairs Hannah opens a door, and steps into a hallway. She takes a left, and moves towards the end of the hallway.

"She has an incredible sense of direction," Tony comments.

"Yes," Ziva agrees.

Hannah stops in front of a room. She waits for Tony, and Ziva to catch up. Once they reach her she knocks on the door. They hear footsteps, and the door flies open. The teenager stares at them.

"What are you doing here?" she looks at Hannah.

"It's a long story, can we come in?"

"Of course," she agrees.

They file into the small room.

"What brings you here?" she requests.

Hannah doesn't answer. Ziva looks at Hannah. "She's talking to you," Hannah announces.

Finally Ziva is able to make eye contact. Rider leans against her desk.

"I am guessing that you have a lot of questions. Anything specific Ziva?"

Ziva feels slightly unsettled that the girl knows her name. "How many of you, are there?"

"Forty," Rider confirms.

"Hannah says that you know everything," Tony begins.

"That is true. The question is, what do you want me to tell you?"

"The truth," Ziva demands.

"Hannah, I think that she and I should discuss this, in private."

"You don't want my virgin ears to hear? Are you afraid that I am angry, because you did not tell me the truth?"

"I did not lie to you."

"Omitting things, and avoiding questions, it is the same things as lying," she argues.

"Hannah, please," Rider begs.

"Fine," she nods, "Come on Tony."

Hannah and Tony leave the room. Ziva stares at Rider in utter disbelief.

"You are close to him?" Ziva inquires.

"Yes."

"How long have you known?"

"Ziva I have always known. Unlike everyone else, I have always known who I was. I was about Hannah's age when I learned the whole truth."

"The whole truth?"

"What Eli had been doing. Why I was here, being raised by people, who were not my family. Why when I asked him to tell me about my mother, he could never look me in the eye."

"He was afraid she would find out?"

"She knew. She always knew."

"She always knew? I find that hard to believe. No one else knew. Why would he tell her?"

"He didn't have to."

"I do not understand."

"Eli fabricated my records, to try to protect me, why, I will never really be sure."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was twelve I decided that I needed to meet her. I thought that she should know."

"You met her?"

"And after I did, I wished that I hadn't."

"Why?"

_ July 9th, 2005- She slips in the door of the Georgetown townhouse. She tiptoes past the made, towards the office. She stands outside, and listens as Jenny talks on the phone. Jenny hangs up the receiver, and Rider makes her move. The back of Jenny's chair faces the door. Rider takes a seat on the opposite side of the desk. She waits for her to turn around._

_"If you wanted to meet me, you should have just called. You didn't have to sneak in," Jenny reveals._

_Rider says nothing. Jenny spins around. She stares into the twelve year olds green eyes. Her auburn hair is pulled into a pony tail. The twelve year old stares at her in confusion._

_"Tell me what you know," Jenny demands._

_"You are my biological mother. Eli David is my biological father."_

_"Why are you here?"_

_"I don't know. I guess I just wanted to meet you. I thought that you had the right to know, that somewhere in the world, you have a child. It is obvious that you already know that. Eli told you?"_

_"What has Eli told you?"_

_"That I was created in a test-tube."_

_"You believe him?"_

_"Should I have a reason not to?"_

_"Your father did what he thought he should, to protect you."_

_"I don't understand."_

_"Do you want to know, how I know about you?"_

_"Yes," she nods._

_"You were not created in a test tube."_

_Rider's jaw drops. "You are telling me that..." she trails off._

_"I gave birth to you," she reveals._

_"You had a relationship with my father?"_

_"A brief, ill thought out, one."_

_"That isn't what the file says."_

_"He made up your file. He didn't want you to know the truth."_

_"Why not?"_

_"The man does have an ounce, or two of humanity left. He did not want you to know the truth. He thought that if you knew you would be emotionally scarred."_

_"What is the truth?"_

_"You were never part of the plan. You were never supposed to happen."_

_"But I did."_

_"And that was my mistake."_

_"Why did you have me? If you didn't want me, why did you have me?"_

_"He promised me that he would take care of you. I did not know what he had planned."_

_"You didn't do anything to stop it."_

_"I am sorry. I hoped that you would never find out."_

_"But I did."_

_"I am sorry to disappoint you."_

_"Why did you do it?"_

_"Give you up?"_

_Rider nods._

_"You were not factored into my career plan."_

_"You chose your career over your child?"_

_"I am not proud of that."_

_"I shouldn't have come."_

_"I have made a lot of mistakes..."_

_"And I am one of them. I am the one you wish to erase."_

_Jenny doesn't answer._

_"You should have lied."_

_"Your whole life someone has been lying to you."_

_"So it's your place to tell the truth? I think would have rather lived a lie."_

_"That is your choice."_

_Rider stands up. She walks to the door. On her way out she turns and says, "No it was yours."_


	19. Thicker Than Water

"I do not believe that."

"Why not? You really think that she wasn't capable of that?"

"There is no way for me to prove or disprove what you've told me," Ziva points out.

Rider opens the drawer behind her. She pulls out an envelope. She hands it to Ziva. Ziva takes the envelope, and pulls out the letter that is inside. She reads the letter to herself.

_Rider,_

_I am truly sorry that I made the choices I have made. I know that what I did, it was unthinkable. You have to know that I had the best of intentions. I thought that I was giving you something I could not. I hope one day you will understand that I had no other choice. I know that doesn't make it any easier, but it true. While my choices may have been selfish, you should know that they were made out of love. I know see that I made the wrong decisions, but I can't take them back. It is too late for me to be able to fix this. Just know, I did love you. _

_Jenny_

Ziva calmly folds up the letter, and puts it back into the envelope. She hands it back to Rider.

"How do I know that she wrote it?"

"You don't recognize her handwriting?"

"I do, but how do I know that you didn't forge it?"

"Eli is my father, but that does not mean I am my father's daughter."

"I do not know if I can..."

"You don't have to believe me. I wouldn't expect you to. I know that you trusted Jenny, thought that she was different. She did have compassion, but in a lot of ways she was like our father."

Ziva looks at her, disturbed by her using the word _our_ in that sentence. There was no denying who she was, either. She looked too much like Jenny. Her lips, they were Eli's. Her fierce attitude, that was Eli's too.

"I never expected you to like this."

"You have always known, about Hannah?"

"Yes."

"And you said nothing?"

"I was a child."

"You knew."

"What could I have done?"

"Hannah found me, you expect me to believe that you could not find me?"

"I knew how to contact you, if I needed to."

"Why didn't you?"

"What did you want me to do? Send you an email, telling you that you have a child? You would not have believed it."

"You are like him."

"In many ways, but... I am not him."

"You will be."

"One day I will take his place," she admits.

The revelation shocks her. She stares at the young woman, and it makes sense. He was attempting to create a worthy successor.

"Why are you here? You should be Mossad."

"Everything in due time."

"You will spend your whole life trying to prove yourself to him. To earn his loyalty, but you will never succeed. Nothing you will do, will ever be good enough. Even if you make it to top, it will not be good enough for him. He finds flaws in everything."

"I am not you."

"You seek his approval."

"He is the only person who has ever taken any interest in my life."

"He is using you."

"He is not."

"He is. Eli never has pure intentions. He wants you to be, who he wants you to be."

"He wants me to learn to be loyalty."

"He will never be loyal to you."

"You were not loyal. He is your family."

"Family isn't always about the blood that runs through your veins. It is about the people who are always around, who lay their lives on the line for you, that is family."

"Those people, your co-workers, they are not loyal."

"They are the only people who have ever been loyal to me. They have proven time, and again, that they will not forsake me."

"Everyone has a price."

"You are just like him."

"Eli?"

"Ari," she answers.

"I am nothing like him."

"You are angry. You are hurt. You feel that you did not get the attention that you deserved. You will try to prove yourself to Eli, but one day you will choose differently. You will choose another way to get his attention."

"You branded him."

"I could have killed him."

"Why didn't you?"

"I have not always made the best choices. I have not always done the right thing. I can admit that. For Hannah's sake, I choose to lead my example. If I had killed him, I would have sent the message that if you are angry enough, it is ok to take someone's life. That is not true."

"You branded him," she repeats.

"I know when to walk away," Ziva answers.

"Hannah is not... she is not what she seems."

"I do not doubt that."

"There is an emptiness in her soul, that will never be filled."

"What is your goal? Why are you a US Marine?"

"I do not know the plan. I just follow orders."

"To be a leader, you have to learn to question orders, not just follow them."

"Ziva, do you really think that you can keep them from becoming like him? Do you really think that if you love them enough you will keep them from becoming who they are destined to be?"

"No one is destined to become anything. You make choices that shape who you become."

"Some feelings you cannot fight."

"There is nothing you cannot fight, if you try hard enough."

"No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, they are born to be killers. They are born to take lives, there is nothing you can do to change that. That baby, he may be innocent now, but he will learn the truth, and he will become he is meant to be. Daniel, will become an unstoppable force, you cannot change that."

"You are wrong."

"I am never wrong."

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Why is that?"

"Do you think that your father loves you?"

"Of course."

"Then you are wrong."

"He is my father."

"He is a monster," Ziva walks away. She pulls the door open, and steps into the hall. She finds Tony, and Hannah waiting on her.

"Well, what did you find out?"

"Some stones should remained unturned," Ziva replies.

Ziva follows Hannah, and Tony out of the building. In the parking lot she hands Tony the keys. He takes the from her, and looks at her questioningly. Hannah climbs into the back seat, slamming the door behind her.

"Why are you giving me the keys?"

"I do not feel like driving," she answers.

"Ziva, what did she say?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Zi, obviously something she said upset you."

"What if she was right?"

"About what?" he studies her from the other side of the car.

"What if we are destined to become who we become, and there is no changing that?"

"Ziva, she is not right."

"How do you know?"

"Blood is thicker than water, but love is thicker than blood."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That you are not defined by your genetic profile. That may be part of who you are, but genes do not decide who you are. If you were simply the blood that ran through your veins, you would have killed me the night that I shot Michael Rivkin, and you would not have hesitated."

"That is true."

"In life we learn who we can trust, who we can count on, and they help shape who we become."

"What if it is not enough?"

Hannah pecks on the window. Ziva looks at her. Tony opens the door.

"It's cold in here! Come on, you two can talk in the car. I will plug my ears if you'd like. You do know that I can hear you out there, right?"

Without a word Tony, and Ziva climb into the car. Tony starts the car.

"Hannah are you hungry?"

"That depends," she replies.

He looks in his rearview mirror at her. "On what?"

"If you are going to force me to eat a salad, or not."

"I am just trying to look out for you," he assures her.

"I am not eating salad," she clarifies.

He pulls out of the parking lot.

"Did you know I can read your mind?" Tony smiles.

"Really?" Hannah doubts him.

"Yes. You are thinking that you want to eat breakfast, even though it is noon."

"Indeed," Hannah admits.

"Waffle House it is."

"Ziva?"

Ziva stares out her window, "Huh?" she responds to Hannah.

"Tony is right. Love is thicker than blood, on any day. Of all people, I would think that you would know that."


	20. Work

She rolls out of bed without the help of an alarm clock. Her internal alarm clock tells her that the baby will be awake in mere seconds. The clock tells her it is five a.m. She doesn't turn on the light, she simply wanders over to the crib. She looks inside, and finds Matthew sleeping. She stands, and watches him for several seconds. She gets the feeling that the baby is not the only one being watched. She looks up, and sees someone standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing?" she questions.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to be creepy. I just got up to go to the bathroom. I looked at the clock, and I figured that you would be up."

Ziva lifts the sleeping baby out of the crib. She moves towards the doorway.

"Do you need something?"

"When are you going back to work?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well today is Monday, and..."

"I have only been off two weeks."

"I don't know how to put this, without hurting your feelings," she admits as she starts down the stairs.

"But?"

"But you are driving me crazy. You make me breakfast, and lunch, and dinner. You are waiting for me when I wake up. You tuck me in. You drive me to school, and pick me up from school."

"I thought that was what I was supposed to do," Ziva admits as she enters the kitchen. She holds Matthew with one arm. She uses her free hand to open the refrigerator, and get out a bottle. She unscrews the top, and puts it in the microwave.

"You are driving me crazy. I spend every waking moment with you. Can you please go back to work?"

"I thought that it was important that we got to know each other, that we bond."

"We've got the rest of our lives. You are bored aren't you? You are ready to go back to work."

"I am not ready to leave the two of you."

"Him. I am in school all day."

"I am not ready to leave him, with a stranger."

"Take him with you, until you find someone suitable."

"I do not think that is an option."

"Please go back to work, today."

"Why are you so insistent upon me returning to work?"

"This is not normal, spending every moment together. I am glad that I went to school."

"I am too clingy?"

"No, but..."

"But what?"

"You are trying too hard. I don't need you to pack my lunch every day. We can order dinner out sometimes. I like to eat cereal for breakfast. You don't have to do everything for me. I can put my dishes in the dishwasher, and I can pack my own back pack."

"I am your mother, it is what I am supposed to do."

"I can do things on my own. I am not saying that I don't need you."

"You are saying that you're eleven, not four?"

"Yes," she nods, "So will you please go back to work?"

She kisses Hannah's forehead, "You are the most unusual child I have ever met."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, I will go back to work, if it is that important to you."

"It is important for the both of us. I know how much you want to go back to work. Since I am up, why don't I take care of him, and... you can go take a shower?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I have to offer to help with him soon. The way he eats in a day or two, he is going to outweigh me."

Ziva opens the drawer, and drapes a burp cloth over Hannah's shoulder. She passes Matthew off to her. Hannah takes him into the living room, and takes a seat on the couch.

Ziva stops at the bottom of the stairs, "When do you want me to go back to work?" she jokes.

"It isn't funny. You have to go back, today."

"Ok," Ziva smiles as she heads up the stairs.

Hannah watches as Matthew ravenously sucks at the bottle. He stares back at her.

"I'm glad she agreed, aren't you? I think she was getting on your nerves to, wasn't she? I could tell. You tried to warn her, but she doesn't listen. You want to spend time with other people too. It doesn't mean you love her any less, it just means there are other people you like too."

He doesn't respond. He obliviously continues to suck on his bottle.

"You are going to be a man of few words. I can tell. Sometimes silence is the best option," she adds, "You'll probably wait until you're twenty before you start talking."

When Ziva returns downstairs she finds Hannah eating breakfast. Matthew sits in the middle of the table, sleeping in his bouncy chair.

"That is what you are wearing?" Hannah asks between bites of cereal.

"What is wrong with what I am wearing?"

"Why do you have dresses if you never wear them?"

"It is cold outside."

"I guess," she shrugs.

"Is that what you are wearing to school?"

"I am still wearing my pajamas."

"You need to hurry up."

Hannah sits her bowl in the sink, and leaves the kitchen. She stomps up the stairs. Ziva makes a cup of tea. She grabs yogurt, and takes a seat at the table. She sips her tea, and stares at the sleeping baby.

"Matthew?" she tickles the bottom of his foot with her finger.

His eyes flutter open. "Good morning handsome boy," she smiles, "Are you ready to get changed?"

He stares at her pensively. She finishes her breakfast, tossing the dishes in the sink, and the yogurt container in the trash can. She un-straps Matthew, and heads towards the stairs. She goes into his room for clothes. That was basically all that his room contained. It wasn't like he actually slept in there, his crib was in her room. After one night with him in his crib, in his room, she decided that it was unbearable. She grabs a diaper, and wipes. She opens a drawer, and pulls out his Ohio State outfit. As she finishes she hears a frustrated groan from down the hall. She lifts him off the changing table into her arms. She leaves his room, and wanders down the hall towards the bathroom. She pushes the bathroom door open. She finds Hannah standing in front of the mirror with a hair brush.

"Problems?"

"I can't do anything with my hair," she huffs.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Get it out of my face. It is everywhere."

"Should I help you, or let you spend the next twenty minutes attempting to do something with it?"

"Help me please," she replies.

Ziva uses her foot to close the lid on the toilet. She points, "Sit," she commands. Hannah takes a seat on top of the toilet seat. Ziva hands her the baby. She grabs a hairbrush, a comb, and a hair ties.

"Do not worry about hurting me. I like my hair tight. I don't want it falling in my face half-way through the day."

Ziva sections her hair off into two sections. She quickly, but tightly braids one side. She then equally as skillfully does the other side. She secures the braids with hair ties, and returns her utensils to the bathroom counter. Hannah looks up at her in amazement.

"You're done?"

Ziva nods as she takes the baby from Hannah. Hannah vacates her seat, and takes a look in the mirror.

"Is that good enough?"

"Yes," Hannah confirms.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Almost."

Ziva looks at her watch, "We need to leave in ten minutes."

"Leave the house for the car, or be in the car, and pulling away from the house?"

"The second one."

"What are you going to do with him while you're at work?"

"I thought that I would just leave him here," Ziva answers.

"You have a plan, I assume?"

"One that will work for today."

"You have to find him a nanny."

"I know."

"You have interviewed twenty five people. None of them are good enough?"

"I will admit my standards may be a little bit..."

"Out of sight?"

"Maybe."

She arrives in the NCIS squad room at 0658. She takes a seat at her desk. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed sitting at her desk, in her chair. The elevator dings, and Tony steps off. He makes his way to her desk. He looks down at her.

"Can I help you?" she wonders.

"What are you doing here? You are supposed to be on maternity leave."

"I have taken enough time off, besides Director Vance did not specify how much time I had to take off."

"You are ready to come back to work?"

"I was asked to," she reveals.

"By Gibbs?"

"Hannah."

"Who has Matthew?"

"A trusted friend."

"Who will be picking up Hannah after school?"

"She is going home with a new friend. The girl's name is Annie, and she lives a block away from us. She is in Hannah's art class. I am picking Hannah up from Annie's house after work."

"I see."


	21. Coming Unglued

Gibbs enters the lab, with Abby's morning caf-pow.

"What do you have for me?"

"I just got the evidence ten minutes ago."

"Why is it so quiet in here? No music?"

"I am trying to de-clutter my mind."

Gibbs grows suspicious. He scowls at her.

"It's a secret," she warns.

Gibbs hears a noise coming from her office. He walks past her. She runs in front of him, and blocks the open doorway.

"Don't go in there," she begs.

"Abs, move," he insists.

She crosses her arms in dissatisfaction, and steps aside. He steps into her office, and retrieves something. She is standing by her computer when he returns.

"I found this in your office Abby," he holds it up for her to see.

"How did that get there?" she feigns surprise.

"Let me ask him," Gibbs looks at the sleeping baby. He kisses his forehead, "I need you to wake up. I have something very important to ask." Matthew's eyes pop open, "Tell me how did you find your way to Abby's lab? Oh that's right you can't walk, or talk," he shifts his focus back onto Abby.

"He called me this morning, and said he wanted to hang out with me," Abby smiles.

"He called?"

"Someone called on his behalf," Abby clarifies.

"Don't let Vance find out," he warns.

"She promised it would only be for a day or two. I don't mind. I enjoy watching him. And I will not let him interfere with my work. He's a lot like you, you know. He's very quiet."

"He's a baby," Jethro points out.

Abby looks at the baby, "A very cute one."

"He takes after Ziva."

"He definitely has your personality. He's all quiet, and stoic."

"He's something," Gibbs agrees as he holds his son.

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah Abs?"

"You have work to do. You need to leave baby Gibbs with me."

He passes the baby to her. "You have work to do too."

"I only need one hand," she tells him.

Gibbs goes into her office. He pulls the playpen into the lab, next to the computer, but out of the way.

"You want me to keep a closer eye on him?"

"You don't have to hide him. I know that he's here."

"Ok," she agrees.

He heads for the door. In the doorway he turns and pivots.

"Abby why did you call him baby Gibbs?"

She stares at the baby. She doesn't look at Gibbs when she answers, "He just reminds me of you, that's all."

"You told me yesterday that his hair in the picture you had reminded you of Ziva, but you didn't call him baby David. You called him Matthew. You usually call him Matthew."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize, explain."

She turns and looks at him, with a smile, "I would love to, but I have work to do," she begins typing.

"Abby..." he starts.

"Take it up with your baby mama," Abby insists.

"Baby mama?" He furrows his brow.

"Take it up with Ziva," she clarifies.

He gets onto the elevator. When he reaches the squad room he finds his team all diligently working at their desks. He stops at Tony's desk. Tony doesn't look up.

"Yeah Boss?"

"I need you to tell me something," Gibbs demands.

"Anything," he agrees staring at his computer screen.

"Do you know where Matthew is?"

"Let me put it this way boss, you are the president, and he is the football, it is my job to know where he is at all times."

"So you know where he is, right now?"

"I've got eyes on him right now," DiNozzo confirms.

"Eyes?"

"Nanny Cam," DiNozzo replies.

"Nanny cam, or Abby cam?" Gibbs quizzes.

"You've been downstairs?"

"Yep," he nods. Without turning around he scolds, "Ziva sit back down. Do not try to escape."

She returns to her seat. He turns to Ziva. She looks up at him.

"You're angry that I left him with Abby? I didn't have a choice. I will find him a Nanny, tomorrow," she promises.

"That isn't why he's irritated," Tim reveals.

"How would you know?" Tony questions.

"Just got a text from Abby. Ziva, she says that she is sorry, it was an accident," Tim replies.

Ziva jumps to conclusions, "Accident? What happened? Did she drop him?"

"No. Ziva calm yourself, probie is probably referring to Abby's inability to lie to Gibbs. She probably told him the thing, you know the one that you didn't tell him."

Gibbs spins around. He smacks Tony on the back of the head. He squints, "And what would that be DiNozzo?"

"Ziva was just getting ready to answer that."

"I know she was," Gibbs turns around and faces Ziva once again.

"What would you like me to tell you? If you are wondering about the case, I have learned that our dead Petty officer was in serious debt. He owed on credit cards, a house, two cars, a boat, he even owed his mother-in-law money."

"That is good to know, but not what I wanted to hear about."

"What would you like to hear about?"

"Matthew," he reveals.

"Would you like a status update? It seems Abby has just changed him, and things are coming out just the way that they are supposed to."

"Ziva shouldn't you have had a brit for Matthew?"

"Tony I am not that traditional. I am also more comfortable with the sterile technique used in the hospital."

"So you had it done in the hospital?" Tony clarifies.

"Yes," she nods.

"DiNozzo is there a reason you change the subject to circumcision?" Gibbs wonders.

"I wanted to know."

"Do you have Matthew's birth certificate?"

"Not with me, why?"

"What is the name on his birth certificate?" Gibbs grills.

"Matthew Isaac."

"I know that."

"So then why are you interrogating her?" Tim quizzes.

"Because McGee, Abby just called Matthew baby Gibbs," Gibbs retorts.

"He is your son," Tony points out.

"Abby has never called him baby David, he is Ziva's son too."

"He probably just reminds Abby of you," Tony tries to cover.

"Ziver!" he smacks her desk.

"I considered giving him your last name, but at the last minute I changed my mind."

"I did not know that."

"I should have discussed it with you."

"Ya, think? You discussed it with everyone but me."

"I am sorry."

"What is Hannah's last name?" Tony inquires.

"David. What else would it be? Would you prefer that I used the last name of a dead man that I do not know, Tony?"

Gibbs walks away from Ziva, to his own desk, allowing Tony and Ziva to finish their conversation.

Tony shrugs, "I guess not."

"Have you spoken to her today?" she probes.

"No. Why would I?"

"You talk to her everyday during lunch."

"How do you know?"

"Tony I am her mother, I know everything."

"You also pay her cell phone bill," McGee reveals her secret.

"That is also true," Ziva nods.

"No I have not spoken to her. She's probably just busy. I wouldn't worry about it."

"I'm sure that you are right."

"Didn't she have a math test to study for?" Tony recalls.

"Yes," Ziva acknowledges.

"I should text her, tell her good luck."

"I'm sure that she would appreciate that."

"Did she ask you to chaperone her class trip?" Tony wonders.

"No. She asked you instead."

"Why?"

"She is afraid that I will scare her classmates."

"Can we get back to work now?" Gibbs demands.


	22. Playing Assassin

At two thirty Ziva is finishing her interrogation when her phone rings. She hits ignore, and continues with what she is doing. On the other side of the glass Tony's phone rings. After finishing his phone call Gibbs goes into the interrogation room.

"Ziva, Tony need to talk to you in the hallway."

"Ok," she agrees, stepping out of the room. When she reaches the hallway she finds him on the phone.

"Where is he now? Are you sure? Ok. I want you to bring him upstairs. I'll explain in a minute," he hangs up.

"Why did I just get pulled from interrogation?"

"Emily Sanders just called," he reveals.

"That is the mom who is supposed to pick Hannah up. Do I need to go get Hannah?"

He escorts her to her desk. He sits her down. Abby comes into the squad room with the baby.

"What is going on?" Abby inquires.

"Abby have a seat at my desk for a minute."

"What is wrong?" Ziva's heart begins racing.

"Hannah was supposed to meet her friend outside the school. She never showed. Emily waited. She called her cell phone, but she didn't answer. Emily stopped by your house, but she isn't there."

"I will kill him," she responds furiously.

"Who?" Abby questions.

"Eli," she replies.

"How can you know that it is him?"

"I just know."

She finds herself tied to a chair. She stares at her enemy. He returns her stare with cold, dead eyes.

"I will make this simple. You can come back to Israel with me, and no one gets hurt."

"And if I don't?"

"I will kill everyone you love Hannah."

"It's a shame you don't count yourself on that list."

"You are so much like her," he smiles.

"Eli she will never let you get away with this."

"Really? You think that she is going to find you? Hannah she doesn't love you. She doesn't care about you. She doesn't even want you. She feels sorry for you. She probably won't even notice that you're gone. She is to busy with work, and that precious new baby. You are adjusting well, but you are in her way."

"Eli you are a liar. I do not believe anything that comes out of your mouth. I know that you are just looking for revenge."

"Hannah it is going to be you, or it is going to be her."

"You do realize that you just signed your death certificate, right?"

"You think that she will kill me? She didn't kill me before, she won't kill me now. She does not love you enough to make that decision. The old Ziva would have done it just because I am a bastard, but the new Ziva is about setting good examples. What kind of example would she be setting if she shot her own father in cold blood?"

"She would be proving that God does exist."

"You sound so sure. Maybe we should talk about someone else."

"Who?"

"Anthony."

"Why?"

"I can tell he also means a great deal to you. You are becoming very attached to him. That is your mistake. You should know from your training that becoming attached is a weakness. Hannah I had a special plan for you. You were going to destroy their team. You were going to destroy NCIS, but now I have to come up with a new plan. I have to use you to tear them apart, from within. If it is your death, or Ziva's, or Tony's, it does not really matter. They will never recover from any one of your deaths. If you die Ziva will blame herself, and she will self-destruct. She will begin to resent her partner, her team, and NCIS. If Ziva dies Tony will never forgive you. If Tony dies Ziva will blame you. Either way it is a win-win situation for me."

"And if you die?"

He smiles evilly. He un-binds her hands from the chair. He leaves her feet bound to the chair. He places the loaded gun on her lap.

"If you want to kill me, go ahead, but I do not think that you have what it takes. My biggest mistake was believing in you. Maybe you don't believe me, maybe you are right. If you are your mother will be so disappointed if you kill me. She will question whether you truly have any humanity. If you can be saved."

"I am not a monster. You are a monster, who tries to create more monsters, and unleash them on the world. Who was it in your life who didn't love you enough? Your mother? Your father? I am betting it was your wife. She loved you, but love it can only with stand so much. She stopped believing in you. She didn't want to be with the man you were becoming. That blow made you lose control, made you even worse than you ever were before. You drove your children away. You turned your son into a someone who directed all of his hate toward you, onto others. Then there was the daughter you could not save. And of course the only one you had left. You thought you could train her, make her who you wanted her to be, but somewhere along the way she learned compassion."

"How do you know?"

"The gatekeeper told me."

"Impossible."

"Really?"

"Prove it."

"My biological father, he was a bad seed. He joined the dark side. He had to be eliminated, because he went rogue."

"She'll never find you. There is no way out. You can kill me, but you will die from exposure before anyone ever finds you."

"You are just a scared, insecure, old man. You know that your death is imminent, and that scares you, because you know that you are going to have to atone for all of your sins, and it is a long list, isn't it?"

He takes the gun from her lap, and strikes her with it. She ignores the pain radiating from her cheek bone. She shakes her head, "You are intimidated by an eleven year old, that is pretty sad."

He takes a step back. He backs away. He opens the door, and steps out of the room. When she is certain that he is gone she reaches into her shoe. That was the one nice thing about her new high top converse, other than they were cute, they were also functional. She pulls out a knife. She flips open the blade, and cuts through the zip ties that secure her ankles to the chair. He had taken her phone, but she had been able to slip the sim card out before he confiscated it. It wasn't much good without a phone. There were several ways out of this room, and most of them involved body bags. She folds the knife back up, and puts it back in her shoe.

"Eli," she calls out.

He opens the door, and comes back in.

"Do you have any signal out here?"

"No, you think I am going to let you make a phone call?"

"I was hoping that your phone had games on it. I am trying to be pleasant, and not kill you. Tetris would probably keep me from killing you for the next fifteen minutes, or so."

He tosses her the phone.

"I'll be listening, just in case," he warns her, leaving the room once again.

She quickly removes the back of the phone, and removes the battery. She inserts her SIM card, and removes his. Just as quickly she replaces the battery, and the cover. She turns the phone on, and searches through the games.

"There is no Tetris on here," she calls out.

"There is poker," he replies from the other side of the door.

"Poker? You think that I play poker?"

"You play assassin, why not poker?"

"I guess I could learn."

"Whatever, just keep it quiet."

"Getting a migraine, old man?"

He flies through the door. He snatches the phone out of her hand, and leaves the room. He slips the phone back into his pocket, and heads into the living room. Half an hour later he comes back into the room.

"They are coming," he reveals.

"I wonder how they figured out?"

"This is not going to end well."

"I know," she agrees.

"You will stay in this room, there are no windows."

"So who will snipe you? That was going to be the highlight of my day," she taunts, "Oh I guess it doesn't really matter, does it? They are going to blow through that door, and she's going to put one in your head, and two in your chest. That will be the end of you."

"On second thought I could use you. Come on," he aims the gun at her, and makes her get out of the chair. He leads her out of the house, towards the driveway.

"They can snipe you even if you are driving a hundred and twenty. They are that good."

He stops. "I doubt that. It is almost dark, and visibility is poor."

"That is what a scope is for," she points out.

He points the gun to her head. "I should just end this all now. I will have a better chance. I think that is the best option."

"Whatever you think Eli," she answers.

He cocks the gun, and points it to her head. "There is no where for you to go Hannah. We are in the middle of no where. There isn't anyone around for five miles. It is sixteen degrees out here. You will never survive. There is no where to run, so I suggest you think about your next move. There is no one here to save you."

"Who said I'm going to run? Was I trained to run?"

"You were trained to survive."

"Indeed," she nods.

In the dark, with less than stellar eye sight he does not see her pull out the knife. She quickly knocks the gun onto the ground, and thrusts her knife into his eye. She quickly pulls it out, and grabs the gun as he falls to the ground. She backs away quickly. He writhes in pain on the ground. He pulls another gun, a bigger gun, with bigger bullets.

Hannah was fully aware bigger wasn't always better. She finds her way towards a barn. Suddenly a motion light gives away her location. With one eye he could see her clearly. The barn doors are old, and rusted shut. There is no where for her to run. His finger moves to the trigger. She points her weapon, knowing that her shot will hit him directly between the eyes. The black sedan starts down the long driveway.

Eli's finger draws closer to the trigger. Hannah does not blink. Shots ring out.


	23. Choices You Make

Hannah drops to the ground at the last minute, not firing her weapon. A bullet hits the barn door, and Eli falls forward onto the ground. The car speeds towards them. There was only one person who would dare drive that fast in the snow. The car arrives at the house, and Hannah watches as Ziva gets out of the driver's seat. There was no way she could have made a shot at that angle, while driving. Tony steps out of the passenger's seat. He moves towards Eli's lifeless body. Ziva runs to her.

Ziva helps her off the ground.

"Hannah are you ok?" Ziva asks.

"I'm fine. I had the shot. He didn't have to take it," she reveals.

"He didn't want you to have to make that choice."

"Oh. I would have got him, I still would have had enough time."

"I know," Ziva agrees.

Hannah wraps her arms around Ziva Ziva snakes her arms around Hannah tightly.

"I can't breathe," Hannah reveals.

"Sorry," Ziva lets go, "Don't ever get abducted again."

"Never. Can we go home now?"

"Yeah," she nods, "Come on."

McGee arrives on the scene along with Ducky. Ziva climbs into the car, and turns the heat on. Hannah stops.

"Come on," Ziva motions.

"One second," Hannah replies.

She runs over to Tony.

"Are you ok?" he asks.

"Fine. You've got a long night ahead of you and... there is something I need to tell you."

"What's that?"

"Thank you," she hugs him.

"Anytime, but don't get kidnapped anymore. I thought that your mother was going to stroke out."

"I promise," she turns to walk away.

"Han?"

She looks back at him, "Yeah?"

"Whatever he told you, it's not true."

"I know," she admits, walking to the car. She climbs into the passenger's seat.

Ziva turns around, and heads down the driveway. She pulls onto the road, and wonders if the drive home will be silent.

"Where is Matthew?"

"With Gibbs," Ziva reveals, "He's keeping him tonight."

"Good."

"Why is that good?"

"We don't have to rush home."

"Why do you say that? Are you afraid of my driving? I am not speeding."

"No," she shakes her head.

"Good."

"Mom?"

Ziva doesn't respond immediately, too shocked to say anything.

"I am talking to you," Hannah clarifies.

"I know, you have just never called me that before."

"You aren't going to start crying are you?"

"No that would require me to pull over, and I have to get you home, because you have school tomorrow."

"Can I play hooky?"

"Absolutely not."

Ziva turns up the heat. The silence fills the car for a few more miles. Finally Hannah breaks.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

"I have a feeling that is a sentence that really annoys other parents, because it is wildly overused by kids."

"I'm starving."

"I am not cooking."

"So we can stop at Waffle House on the way home?"

"I am sure that there is one between here and home, so yes."

She is awakened from a deep sleep by a light. She opens her eyes. She stares at the culprit.

"Why are you turning my light on?" Ziva questions.

"I thought that you might want to go to work today."

"What time is it?"

"Five til six," Hannah answers.

"Ok," she groans.

Hannah leaves the doorway, and heads down the hallway. Ziva heads to the bathroom, for a quick shower before work. She had fallen into bed, too tired to shower the night before. She quickly showers, and blows her hair dry, just dry enough not to catch pneumonia. She puts on the first thing that she finds in the closet. She leaves her room, and heads for the stairs.

"What is your location?" she calls out.

"Down here," Hannah replies.

Ziva finds Hannah waiting by the door on her, with two backpacks, and a poptart. Ziva grabs her keys. She takes on backpack from Hannah. Hannah offers her the poptarts.

"I don't remember buying poptarts," Ziva comments as she rushes out the door, locking it behind her.

"Tony may have bought them the other day."

"Why?"

"I think that he felt bad for making me eat a salad."

"He has more than redeemed himself on that issue."

Hannah climbs into the car. Ziva drops Hannah off at school, and heads to work.

NCIS

Tony arrives in the squad room, and finds that Gibbs has already arrived. He holds Matthew, who seems very irritated.

"Bad morning?" Tony questions.

"I haven't had any coffee yet, and he is cranky."

"You broke the baby? Ziva is not going to be happy," Tony jokes.

Gibbs shoots him a look. Matthew squirms, and cries as Gibbs holds him.

"Matthew, I do not have any idea what you want. We have been through this three times this morning."

"Maybe he just wants his mom," Tony suggests.

McGee joins them. Gibbs glances at his watch. "I hope she gets here soon," Gibbs paces in front of his desk with the cranky baby. He pats the baby, but Matthew continues to cry. The elevator dings, and Ziva rushes off the elevator. She drops her stuff at her desk. She approaches Gibbs.

"I don't know what I did. He has been like this all morning," Gibbs reveals. She reaches for the infant, he gladly surrenders him. Even as Ziva holds him he continues to fuss.

"He broke the baby, and you don't seem to be fixing him," Tony smiles.

Ziva sits down at her desk. She lays the baby on her lap, on his back. She pushes against the bottoms of his feet with her hands. The crying stops. He begins grunting instead.

"How did you fix him?" Tony wonders.

"He was not broken. He is just cranky because he needs to poop," she reveals.

"How do you know?" Tony inquires.

"It is the only time he cries. It is easy to fix. If you bend his legs, and press against his feet he is fine."

Tony looks up, "Hey boss, maybe you should write this down."

"Maybe if I spent more time with him I would know," Gibbs replies.

"I do not like being away from him, but I will try to be more flexible," Ziva promises. She vacates her seat, and returns Matthew to Gibbs.

"He is fixed now."

"What do you want me to do with him?"

"I have to pee, and he is ready to be changed," she reveals.

"On it," he nods.

Gibbs quickly changes the baby's diaper. As he finishes snapping his blue sleeper his cell phone rings.

"Gibbs," he answers.

"Where is my little buddy?" Abby questions.

"Patience Abby."

"I need my morning fix," Abby pleas.

"I'll bring him down."

"I hope that Ziva doesn't find him a nanny. I..."

He cuts her off, "She has until Friday, or until Vance finds out, then I pick out the nanny. You cannot focus with a baby to watch."

"I can focus just fine, now bring me the baby," Abby demands.

Gibbs grabs the baby, and his diaper bag. He gets on the elevator, and rides to Abby's lab. Abby waits on him.

"I brought you something to ease the pain," Abby smiles, reaching for the baby.

Gibbs lets Abby take him. She points to the counter top, under the computer. Gibbs grabs the cup.

"I thought you might need a little help to get your day started."

"Thanks Abs."

"Gibbs?"

He turns around, and looks at her.

"Yeah Abby?"

"If I pretend he is my new assistant, can I keep him?"

"Abby I think you know the answer."

"But he is so cute."

"I agree."

"I just want to kiss those chubby little cheeks all day long."

"You could always have one of your own," Jethro teases.

"I can give him back. I just get to play auntie. Buy him cute little outfits, and teach him how to use the mass spectrometer, how to catch criminals. I just like to play with him, I don't want to keep him."

"Good, because you know that isn't an option."

"You and Ziva are fun-suckers."

"Ziva said the same thing?" Gibbs surmises.

Abby nods.


	24. Chances You Take

Ziva wonders down her stairs. She carries Matthew in her arms. She finds Hannah gathering up her books off the living room floor.

"Did you get your homework finished?" Ziva questions.

"Yes," Hannah nods.

"Why don't you go upstairs, and get ready for bed?"

"It's only six o'clock. Do you have a hot date, or something?"

"Sort of," Ziva smiles.

"With who?"

"You won't get to find out if you don't go take a shower," Ziva answers.

"Fine," Hannah agrees.

Hannah is in the shower when Gibbs arrives. Ziva is sitting on the couch holding Matthew when he knocks on the door.

"It's open," she calls out.

Gibbs opens the door, and steps inside. He watches her for a second before moving. He takes a seat in the chair adjacent to the couch. He waits for her to begin a conversation. Matthew lies on her lap, on his back. He stares up at her with big blue eyes. She watches him closely, attempting to memorize every one of his features. She smiles, and kisses the chubby baby on the cheek. He grabs her hair as she lifts her head. She carefully, and calmly untangles his fingers from her hair. He grabs on to her finger. She kisses his fist, and he lets go. She carefully places him over her shoulder. She pats his back, to burp him. She kisses his ear. Finally he burps. She lowers him into her arms. He stares at her sheepishly. Finally she looks over at Gibbs.

"I have all of his stuff ready to go."

Gibbs hands her Matthew's coat, and hat. She lays the boy on the couch, and carefully zips him into the coat. She slips the hat on his head. He instantly pulls it off.

"Why does he do that?"

Gibbs reaches into his coat pocket. He hands a toboggan to her. "I don't know if it will work the same, but I have noticed a pattern. I know Tony didn't buy it, but I thought that we could try, and see if this one would work."

Ziva takes the Ohio State toboggan from him. She slips it over Matthew's head. His hand flies up, but stops at his mouth. He stuffs his fingers into his mouth. Ziva removes his fingers from his mouth, and inserts a pacifier in their place. "He just ate."

"That doesn't mean very much, does it?" Gibbs questions.

"If he could eat twenty four hours a day, he would."

"I don't understand him, myself. He your face, and Tony's appetite."

"His eyes, remind me of yours."

"They'll turn brown eventually."

"I don't think so. I originally assumed that they would, and I know it takes months before we will know his true eye color, but I have feeling that they won't turn brown."

"Maybe, not."

"I wonder how it is he knows the difference between Ohio State clothes, and hats, and everything else. You should have seen him the other day when I tried to put him in the MIT onesie that McGee bought him."

"How is it that every time I see him he looks bigger?"

"You just saw him an hour ago."

"I know, but he already looks bigger," Gibbs comments.

"According to Tony it's because he is going to be a football player for Ohio State, and then go on to play in the NFL."

Gibbs reaches for the little boy. Ziva hands him to Gibbs. Gibbs puts Matthew in the carseat sitting on the floor. He straps him in, "So are you ready to go buddy?" Matthew's eyelids close. He grabs the diaper bag, and the carseat, and stands up. Ziva kisses Matthew on the cheek. "See you tomorrow, handsome."

"Ziva?"

"Yes Gibbs?"

"You were meant for this. You are a great mother," he reveals.

"I do not feel like a great mother. I feel like I am always being pulled in a million different directions. I feel like I never see either of them as much as I would like to. I feel like I should be doing more."

"One day at a time," he reminds her.

"I am learning," she admits.

He heads towards the door. He stops before he opens the door, he turns and looks at her.

"Remind me again why I agreed to allow you and Tony to take comp time on the same day?"

"I had nothing to do with that. I am going to spend time with Hannah."

"Tony is watching Matthew."

"He did not have to. He already had the day off when he offered."

"Ziva..."

"Yes?"

"If you follow all the rules, you never learn any valuable lessons," he tells her.

"Meaning?"

"Sometimes you have to break rules, and deal with the consequences in order to fully understand them."

"I see."

"You can't keep everyone out. Especially if the only thing holding you back is one rule. That's why there are so many, sometimes you need one rule in order to make up for breaking another."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Don't let Tony spend too much time with him."

"Are jealous?"

"I am not jealous. I would just prefer that the next time I see Matthew, he isn't wearing a foam finger for the Buckeyes."

"I don't blame you," Ziva admits.

"Good night."

Ziva is sitting on the couch in her pajamas when Hannah finally comes back downstairs. Hannah walks into the living room, and studies Ziva in confusion.

"Where is the baby?"

"With Gibbs."

"Why do you have all the lights turned off, so early? Why are you wearing your pajamas?"

"I wanted to spend time with you," Ziva pats the seat next to her.

Hannah takes a seat on the end of the couch. Hannah looks at the TV.

"What are you watching? You don't like watching TV."

"We are watching The Princess Bride."

"Why?"

"Tony told me that you would like it."

"Did you pack my lunch for tomorrow?"

"No."

"Why not? You always pack my lunch."

"You told me that I did not have to make you lunch everyday."

"No I said that you didn't have to make me breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"So you want me to pack your lunch?"

"Will you pack it now, so you don't forget?"

"Do I ever forget?"

"No, that's why I don't understand why you haven't packed it yet."

"It would be a waste of my time."

"Packing a healthy, nutritious lunch, for your only daughter, would be a waste of time?"

"I don't know that I would call it healthy, after you add Pringles, and a Fruit Roll-up, everyday."

"I have to balance it somehow. There is meat on the sandwich, and you always put a fruit, and a vegetable, and yogurt. I have to add junk, just to make it even."

"If you want a packed lunch for tomorrow you can make it," Ziva replies.

"That is child abuse," Hannah argues.

"How?"

"It just is."

"Hannah why wouldn't I pack your lunch?"

"I don't know. I would like to hear your explanation to that question."

"Then give me the chance to answer."

"Ok," Hannah nods.

"There is no point for me to pack your lunch for tomorrow because you are not going to school."

Hannah races over to the window. "It's not snowing," she points out in disappointment.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I thought that I had a snowday."

"I am going to let you stay home tomorrow."

"Why? What did I do? Am I in trouble?"

"No. You are not in trouble."

"Is this because of the Eli thing, because I would like to defend myself on that one."

"You didn't do anything wrong."

Hannah scoots towards Ziva. "Why did Tony shoot Eli?"

"So you would not have to."

"I wouldn't have missed."

"I know, that is why he shot him first."

"I don't understand."

"Tony didn't want you to have to carry that around with you, for the rest of your life."

"Why would he do that for me?"

"You should ask him that yourself."

"Wait, if I am staying home tomorrow who is staying with me?"

"You can protect yourself, can't you?"

"I can, but people here frown on leaving your children home alone."

"That is the other movie Tony wants me to watch with you, Home Alone."

"There are like five of those."

"Oh."

"So am I staying home alone?"

"No I used my comp time to take the day off."

"Why?"

"Because I thought that you might want to spend time with me."

"Why?"

"Why would you want to spend time with me?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Because your life has turned upside down in the last few weeks, and I thought that you might want talk to me, or you might just want a day off from school."

"Oh."

"Would you like to talk to me?"

She slips her bare feet under the blanket that is covering Ziva.

"I can share more of the blanket," Ziva offers. Hannah scoots closer, covering her lap with the blanket. She tucks her feet behind her.

"Are you going to leave me?" Hannah queries.

Ziva looks into Hannah's big brown eyes. "One day when you are old I will leave you, but I will not leave you, as long as you need me."

"I will always need you."

"But one day you will learn how to live without me."

"Not anytime soon."

"No, not anytime soon," Ziva agrees.


	25. Missing You

"Sometimes it scares me."

"What does?" Ziva questions.

"I know that if I had shot him, I would have killed him, and I know I wouldn't have felt bad about it. I would have felt relieved."

"I know."

"I know that when you kill someone it is supposed to make you feel like a terrible person, but if I had taken his life I would not have felt that way. He deserved it. The world is a better place without him. That isn't normal. I am not normal."

"Eli was not a good person. He did not deserve to live, but eventually you would have felt remorse for killing him."

"How many?"

"Many," Ziva answers tersely.

"You feel remorseful for killing them all?"

"I do not remember all of their names, but I can see all of their faces, the second that they realized they would not live another day."

"He said things to me that..."

"Were not true," Ziva finishes her sentence.

"He said things that I once believed."

"What things?"

"That you did not want me. That you did not love me. That you felt obligated to take me."

"None of those things are true. None of them."

"He said that you wouldn't come for me."

"No matter what, I will always come for you. I would do anything for you."

"Anything?"

"If I had to walk through fire, swim the ocean, climb a mountain, I would. If I had to choose your life, or mine I would choose yours."

"Why? You barely know me. You..."

Ziva cuts her off, "You are mine. You are my child, and that is all that matters. That is what a mother does."

"Why?"

"Because the love for your child, that is stronger than anything else."

"How do you know?"

"For eleven years I did not even knew that you existed, but in my heart, I still felt a piece of me missing. The instant I saw you, all I knew was that I had to protect you, no matter what."

"I don't understand."

"One day, you will."

"When?"

"When you have a child of your own."

"So in twenty years?"

"That sounds about right to me."

"I want you to be happy."

"Hannah where is this going?"

"I want you to give Tony a chance."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"I want to know why you want me to be with him."

"He is a good man. He loves you, he loves us."

"Sometimes things aren't that simple."

"Why can't they be?"

"Because there are rules, there are things that..."

"There will always be a reason that you shouldn't be together. All you need to be together, is one, one reason. If you find a reason, if you find someone who chases after you when you walk away, cries when you go, and prays that you will come back, you should hold on to them. Those kinds of people don't come around every day. The ones that you can count on, the ones who know what you need, without a single word. I can see it, when he looks at you, he can read like he has known you all of his life. He knows you, even when you don't recognize yourself. I think he sees what I see."

"What is that?"

"Someone who has been hurt so many times, that she expects that at some point, everyone will let her down, everyone will hurt her. You aren't afraid to get hurt. You are afraid that you won't get hurt, that for once in your life things will work out. It scares you, because you are always waiting for the other foot to drop. You are afraid to take the leap of faith, because you don't think you deserve it. You don't think that you deserve to be happy, to have everything that you want. We are all sinners, but we can have forgiveness, all we have to do is ask."

"Hannah I do not want to get involved with him because he is a co-worker if things go badly..."

"There are more jobs."

"I do not want to lose his friendship. I do not want you to get too attached to him."

"Where is he going? Hasn't he proven that he isn't going anywhere, no matter how hard you push?"

"You are looking for a father and..."

"Why shouldn't it be him? Why shouldn't I get to choose?"

"If things do not work out between he and I..."

"I will still love the both of you, just the same. My allegiance, it will always be with both of you. Nothing can change that."

"There are millions of men that I could be with, that I could fall in love with. There are many worthy candidates, many who would want to be your father. Why him?"

"There is only one Anthony DiNozzo Jr."

"Why do you want me to be with him, and only him?"

"No one else fits."

"No one else fits what?"

"No one else fits, into the picture. He is the only one who wants us, all of us. You can spend the rest of my childhood looking for another man like that, and you may find him, but they will all fall flat."

"Hannah..."

"Hold on, I'll show you."

Hannah slips off the couch, and runs upstairs. She climbs under her bed, and pulls out a book. She races back down the stairs. She flips the brown, worn, leather bound book open. Pasted in the center of the page is a drawing. Hannah points to it.

"I drew this when I was five."

Ziva stares at the drawing. In colored pencil is a family of four. A little boy, who looks like Matthew, standing next to him is Hannah, next to her is a mother, who looks like Ziva, and the man next to Ziva, he looks like Tony. Ziva touches the book.

"What is this?" she questions.

"A scrapbook. I got in contact with one of the women who took care of me while I was... anyway she sent it to me. I just got it the other day. I was waiting for the right time to show it to you."

"Now is a good time," Ziva suggests.

Hannah closes the book, "I guess we should start at the beginning." She flips open the cover. On the front page of the book in cut out letters is the name _Hannah_. Underneath, written neatly in pen is her birth date. "I didn't make this. The nannies made them, for each of this. I managed to get a hold of one of them, and she sent them out to everyone who left," she clarifies.

"What is in this book?" Ziva questions.

"Drawings, things we wrote, my first perfect target is in here. The nanny who stayed with me in the hospital when I had leukemia wrote notes about how I was doing every so often."

"That's it?" Ziva questions. She thinks back to the hundred of pictures on her camera, of Matthew. He was a few weeks old, and there were more pictures of him, than days he had been alive. She wondered what Hannah had looked like as a baby, she had hoped one day she would find a picture, something so she could look at, instead of just wondering.

"Oh, and pictures," Hannah adds. She flips the page. Ziva stares at it silently. A baby picture. Baby Hannah. Her head is covered in thick black hair. Her eyes are closed. Her tiny nose is like Matthew's. Her tiny pink lips gap open as she sleeps. She is swaddled tightly in a receiving blanket. "That is the day I was born," Hannah narrates.

She points to the opposite page. "That is my first birthday." Hannah stands outside, wearing nothing but a diaper, and sandals. She smiles, her big dark eyes stare directly at the camera. She waves to the camera. A mop of dark curls surrounds her face.

Hannah turns the page. In the next picture Hannah is older, her hair is longer, and more teeth are visible in her smile. She sits at a table, with a plate full of cake. "Second birthday."

They go through two more pictures, two more birthdays. Drawings follow. Hannah hesitates on turning to the next page. This was her story, she knew each page well.

"Hannah turn the page," Ziva coaxes.

"Maybe this is enough for tonight."

"I want to see."

Hannah nods, and turns the page. In all of the previous pictures there was a happy, little girl, staring at the camera. In this picture... the little girl is not happy. She lies in a hospital bed, clinging onto a stuffed animal. She wears a hospital gown, and is hooked up to an IV. Instead of dark curls, there is no hair. She looks pale, and weak, and sad. Hannah looks at Ziva, trying to read her expression.

"I think that is enough for tonight," Hannah suggests.

"We should talk about that."

"Not tonight," Hannah warns.

"Why not?"

"I want you to get some sleep."

"I won't anyway."

"I remember that picture. I remember all I wanted was my mommy, and I knew that no matter how much the nanny cared for me, and how well the nurse took care of me, none of them were my mom."

Ziva stares at her daughter, and fights the tears as her heart breaks for her.

"I remember being scared, and I just wanted someone to hold me, to tell me that I would be ok. Instead all I ever heard is, 'Hannah you are strong,' that was all they ever said."

Ziva tightens her jaw, trying to will the tears away. She reaches for Hannah. And for once, Hannah reaches back. She allows Ziva to hold onto her, to hug her. Ziva pets her head, feeling her long, thick locks.


	26. Waking Up

Jethro sits on the bed, reading a magazine. He looks up from the magazine, and over at the crib against the wall, in his room. He looks at the clock, and lays the magazine aside. He gets out of bed, and walks across the room to the crib. He peers into the crib, at his son. Matthew stares up at him.

"It's late why are you still awake? It isn't time for you to eat."

The baby doesn't blink. Gibbs reaches in the crib, and scoops him up. He cradles him. Matthew stares up at him. Matthew's hair goes in about twelve different directions. He carefully smoothes it back down. The little boy has a thick head of auburn hair. Gibbs studies his tiny face. There was no denying that he looked like Ziva. Matthew sticks his index, and middle finger in his mouth. Gibbs quickly removes the fingers from his mouth. He inserts a blue pacifier in his mouth.

"Your mom doesn't want you to suck on your fingers," Gibbs reminds him.

Matthew stares up at him questioningly.

"We can throw your pacifier away, we can't cut your fingers off. I mean we could, but neither of us would feel very good about it. Matthew, this situation is not ideal. I hope that when you are older you will understand. Sometimes things don't work out the way that anyone would have planned. You were quite a surprise. You were a gift that none of us expected. I'm sure that you will have lots of questions, and I hope that one of use can answer them. Just know that no matter what happens, or how you got here, there are a lot of people who really love you. Just remember that, ok?"

Matthew's eyelids begin to droop. Gibbs smiles, "You're getting sleepy?"

The little boy's eyelids flutter back open. "Don't fight it. We've got the rest of your life to talk. Matthew try not to be too hard headed, I know it will be hard, you got a double dose, but... please try."

Matthew's eyes close. Gibbs kisses his forehead, and lays him in the crib. Matthew cries in protest. Jethro returns the baby to his arms. He slowly moves over to the bed. He carefully situates himself in the bed. He scoots under the covers, and lays Matthew on his chest. He flips off the lamp. He whispers to the baby.

"I know that your mom does not hold you all night. I think that you are trying to pull one over on me."

Gibbs listens, he hears the baby stop sucking on the pacifier. He feels it fall, onto the bed, beside him. "Then again, maybe she does."

Ziva awakens to the sound of crying. She sits up on the couch. The TV is still on, and Hannah is at the other end of the couch.

"No!" Hannah cries in her sleep. Hannah lays on her side. The side of her face is smashed against the end of the couch. One arm is under her body. Her other hand rests beside her face. Ziva gets off the couch, she bends down next to her.

"Hannah, wake up, it's just a dream," she whispers, knowing better than to touch her.

Hannah's eyes open. She stares at Ziva in relief. Ziva flips the TV off with the remote.

"Come on, we should get to bed."

"Can't I sleep down here?'

"Go," Ziva points to the stairs.

Hannah rolls off the couch, and drags herself to the stairs. Ziva follows her up the stairs. Ziva follows her in to the last room on the right. Hannah collapses on top of her bed. Ziva wrestles the covers from underneath her. She pulls them over top of her.

"Good night," she kisses her forehead.

"Night," Hannah yawns.

Ziva wanders down the hall to her own bedroom. She walks in, and instantly her eyes move to the empty crib. She stands next to it, staring inside for several moments. She looks at the clock, knowing that both Matthew, and Jethro would be asleep at this hour. She turns, and walks over to her bed. She climbs under the covers, and closes her eyes, in attempt to sleep.

Hours later, as she begins to wake up, she gets the feeling that she is not alone. Her chest feels heavy, and she feels extremely hot. She opens her eyes. Light streams in from the window. She looks down, and finds Matthew asleep on her chest. The heaviness makes sense. Wait... why was Matthew on her chest? She must be dreaming, right? Both of her hands rest on Matthew. She turns her head, and finds Hannah lying next to her in bed. Beyond Hannah she sees another body. She carefully sets up, in an attempt not to disturb Matthew. Hannah's body lays in the middle of the bed. Hannah lies on top of the covers, on her side, facing Ziva. On the edge of the bed, Ziva finds a man. He has the back of his head to her. She looks at her surroundings, and is convinced she's dreaming.

"Lay back down, I'm not ready to wake up," a voice tells her.

She looks at Hannah.

"Hannah why are you in my bed?"

"Of all the people in your bed, I am the one you are asking that question?" she groans without opening her eyes.

"This is a dream, right?" Ziva questions.

"Close your eyes, I'm guessing that when you open them again, we will all still be here."

Ziva closes her eyes, and opens them again. The scene doesn't change.

She stands up in the bed, and carefully steps over Hannah, while holding on tightly to baby Matthew. The body next to Hannah lies on his side, facing the window. Ziva faces her headboard, and takes a seat on him.

"I can't breathe," he warns her.

"Why are you in my bed?"

"Gibbs got called out at four thirty. It was easier for him to meet me here. I thought that I could get a few more hours of sleep, and then take him home with me. Can you get off me now? You're heavy."

"Why are you in my bed?"

"I didn't think that I could make it back downstairs, I was so sleepy."

"And Hannah?"

"She told me that if I promised not to hog the covers I could stay."

Ziva carefully stands up, and steps on to the floor. She looks at Tony's face.

"You didn't think this would be awkward at all?"

"I didn't get to bed until two, so I wasn't in a position to argue. I was to tired to think clearly. I was hoping to get another two hours of sleep, before Gibbs called me."

"Why were you up until two? Were you out drinking?""No, I just couldn't sleep."

"Both of you, up. You're not going to sleep the day away."

"Uh," they both groan, in protest.

Ziva heads for the door, "Have it your way, I guess I'll have to eat all of the blueberry pancakes by myself."

By the time she reaches the top of the stairs they are both right behind her. When she reaches the bottom of the stairs she passes Matthew off to Tony. Tony hands the sleeping baby back.

"Why don't I cook for you?" he questions.

"You know how to cook?" Ziva responds in shock.

"Yes," he reveals.

"Go ahead," Ziva agrees.

"So what are our plans for the day?" Hannah questions as she crawls onto the couch, and pulls the blanket over herself.

"I was thinking that we could convince your mother to go for a run," Tony answers.

"What would we do?" Hannah questions.

"All sorts of magical things," Tony replies.

"Tony I will not go for a run so the two of you can nap."

"Three of us," Tony corrects.

"The answer is no," Ziva clarifies.

"Why? When was the last time you went for a run? You love running. You get especially cranky when you don't get to run."

"Seventeen days," she replies.

"Go for a run. When you get back everyone will be dressed, and you will have breakfast waiting on you."

"I'm fine," she argues.

"He's right you are cranky," Hannah comments.

"Fine, I will go for a quick run," Ziva agrees.

"I will take baby linebacker," Hannah agrees.

Ziva places Matthew in her arms. She runs upstairs, and gets changed. When she returns she finds Tony on the chair, next to the couch, holding Matthew. Hannah lies on the couch. All three of them snore as she walks out the door.

When she returns she is surprised to see that Tony has kept his promise. Everyone is dressed. Breakfast waits on the table for her. Tony, and Hannah chew mouthfuls of pancakes. Matthew sits in his bouncy chair, on the tabletop. Hannah sits on one side of Tony. Ziva takes a seat at the unclaimed plate.

"I'm glad you made it back in time. Matthew has been eyeing those pancakes," Tony points to the baby, who is now wide awake.

She swallows a bite and then answers, "I see you went with the Ohio State outfit."

"It is his favorite team. We are watching the basketball game later tonight."

"You didn't get him a foam finger, did you?"

"Don't be silly Ziva, they don't make foam fingers that small. You're just lucky he wasn't a girl."

"And why is that?" she is curious to know.

"Because they do make cheerleading uniforms that small."

"Stop trying to brainwash my precious little baby," Ziva warns.

"It's too late, he's already a fanatic," Tony retorts.

"Really?"

"I think that it's time we face it, Tony has brainwashed him. He only wears Ohio State hats. He hates any other team, or logo. He wouldn't even wear the MIT onesie that McGee got for him. Although, he is partial to his firetruck outfit, but I think it's because it is red."

"He only wears scarlet, and gray," Tony points out.

Ziva says nothing, she simply eats her pancakes.


	27. Valentine's

Ziva hands Hannah her lunch box. Hannah stares at Ziva.

"Who is your Valentine?"

"Is today Valentine's day?"

"You know it is on Monday."

"Today is Friday."

"But we are celebrating at school, today."

"I know."

"We only have school for half a day."

"I know."

"So who is your valentine?"

"You are my valentine."

"Wrong answer."

"Wrong answer? You are my valentine. I even put a heart shaped brownie in your lunch."

"That is boring."

"Why do I get the feeling that you have other plans for me?"

"I am going home with Ali after school. I am spending the night with her. Gibbs will come get Matthew before Rosie goes home. You will be home all alone."

"What is your point?"

"You shouldn't spend Valentine's day alone."

"Am I?"

"No, you have a date."

"With who?" Ziva questions.

"I can't tell you that."

"How will I know what to wear?"

"I put what I want you to wear in the car."

"Hannah..."

"You are going to dinner, you should look nice."

"Where am I going? Who am I going with?"

"That is for me to know, and you to find out."

"Let's go," Ziva responds.

Hannah grabs her backpack on the way out the door.

When Ziva arrives at work she finds Tony staring at her desk. She takes a seat, and looks in his direction. He was really growing on her. He had been spending more and more time at her house in the past few weeks.

"Why are you looking at my desk like that? Like you did something to it? You look like you are sorry for something."

"I am sorry for something, but I didn't do anything to your desk."

"What did you do?"

"Cave to the will of an eleven year old."

"You're my date?" she realizes.

He nods.

"I should have known."

"What are you wearing?"

"I would tell you, but I don't know."

"You haven't decided yet?"

"I didn't get a choice, Hannah picked out what I am wearing. I didn't have time to look."

"This should be interesting."

"I hope you're talking about our dead petty officer," Gibbs enters the squad room.

"Yes boss, we were just talking about that," Tony lies.

Gibbs stops, between their desks. He looks to Ziva, and then to Tony. "Look I don't need to know what goes on, on your time, but on my time, I don't want to hear about it," he warns.

"I hear you, loud and clear," Tony confirms.

Gibbs looks at Ziva. She grabs her bag, and heads for the elevator.

At five thirty they have reached a stand still in the case. Without a word Gibbs grabs his coat, and walks past their desks.

"Where are you going?" Tony questions.

"I'm going to go pick up Matthew. I suggest that the two of you leave, if you want to make it in time for the reservations that Hannah made you," he reveals.

"Reservations?" Ziva questions.

He pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket. He hands it to Tony. Gibbs leaves the squad room, and hops on the elevator.

McGee walks towards them.

"The two of you have reservations? Together?"

"It's Hannah, she is... insistent that we be together," Tony admits.

"The two of you? Why?"

"If you figure it out, let us know," Tony replies.

McGee heads for the elevator. Ziva grabs her garment bag, and shoes out of the corner of her cubicle.

"I'll meet you there," she tells him.

"Ok," he agrees.

Fifteen minutes later he waits at a table for her. She walks in, and all he sees is her. Her hair is down, and she wears a bright red dress. She wears silver heels. She takes a seat, across the table from him. She looks at him.

"You can pick your jaw up off the ground now," she tells him.

"You look amazing. You should let Hannah pick your clothes out more often."

"Are you saying that you do not like my usual attire?"

"It is very functional, but..."

"Tony, up here.."

He looks into her eyes. He smiles, "So what are you in the mood for?"

She shoots him a look.

"To eat," he clarifies.

"I do not know yet," she answers picking up the menu.

The waiter approaches. "What can I get the two of you to drink?" he questions.

"Ziva?" Tony questions.

"Wine," she answers.

"Red, or white?" the waiter asks.

"White," she replies.

The waiter looks at Tony, "And for you sir?"

"I'll have the same," he agrees.

The waiter walks away, and Tony stares at Ziva. She stares at him.

"What?"

"You're drinking wine? You haven't had a drink in..."

"Over a month."

"You deserve it."

"Hannah is staying the night with her friend, and Matthew is with Gibbs. I think that I should be allowed to have one glass of wine."

"Absolutely," he agrees.

The waiter brings them their drinks, and takes their orders. An hour later they finish their food. Tony watches Ziva as she empties her glass. Tony looks at his, nearly untouched glass. He had taken two sips the whole night. He had been drinking water. She had been drinking wine, like it was water.

"Ziva, I thought that you were just going to have one glass of wine."

"I guess not," she retorts.

"You know that I am going to have to drive you home now, right?"

"I am fine to drive," she argues.

"And if you die in a car crash, what happens to your kids?"

"Speaking of that," she reaches into her bag, and pulls out a mess of papers. She slides them across the table to Tony, "I need you to sign this."

"Sign what?"

She brushes her hair out of her face, and then answers, "My living will."

"Why do I have to sign it?"

Ziva looks at her empty glass. He hands her his. She takes another drink, and then responds to his question, "You have to acknowledge that you agree to be Hannah's legal guardian if anything happens to me."

"Me? Why not Gibbs, or Abby?"

"She asked me, to ask you."

"You're ok with that? If anything happens to you, not that anything will, but you really trust me to take care of her?"

"If you don't want to do it, just say so," she answers in disappointment.

He takes the ink pen from her hand. He quickly signs his name. He recaps the ink pen, and hands it back to her. Without a word she returns the document to her bag, along with the purse.

"Now let's get you home," he suggests.

"Ok," she agrees.

Ten minutes later they are almost to her apartment. The ride has been completely silent. Ziva sits in the passenger seat, staring out the window. Finally he breaks the silence.

"Was that supposed to be a test?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"You didn't think that I would agree?"

"I just figured that when push came to shove..."

"I would be a chicken, that I would walk away? Ziva I am not going to walk away. I am not going to go anywhere. I would do anything for you. I would do anything that Hannah asked me to."

"Why?"

"Because I love you," he admits, "and she is your daughter, so..."

She cuts him off. She looks at him. He focuses on driving. He feels her eyes boring through her. "You what?" trying to give him a chance to take it back.


	28. Wake Up Call

He pulls onto the curb, in front of her home. He pops the car into park, and turns off the engine. He turns to face her. He looks her in the eyes and repeats himself, "I love you."

"You are serious?"

"You know that I am," he replies.

"You keep telling me that you are but..."

"You need proof?" He doesn't give her a chance to answer. He kisses her. She kisses him back. Finally they decide to come back up for air.

"Walk me in?"

"If I walk you in, I don't know if I can stop myself from..."

"I never said that I wanted you to stop," she clarifies.

She stares at him. He locks eyes with her. They lay in her bed, tangled in sheets. He lays on his side. She lays beside him. She rests her head on his arm. He looks at the clock.

"We should get to sleep, it's late. Hannah will be home early, in the morning," he tells her.

"You are probably right."

"I am not going anywhere. I'll be right here when you wake up," he reassures her.

She rolls over, and flips off the light. He's nearly asleep when the phone rings. Ziva rolls over, and pulls the phone to her ear.

"Hello? Yes. Is something wrong? Ok, I'll come get her," Ziva hangs up.

"Who was that?"

"Ali's mother."

"Hannah wants to come home?"

"She said she was sick. I've got to go get her."

"You stay, I'll go get her."

"I am her mother," she reminds him.

"And I am sober," he counters.

"Tony," she begins to argue.

"You won't win this argument."

"Ok," she agrees.

He climbs out of bed, and begins to get dressed. "You should probably get dressed too," he suggests. He follows the trail of clothing. She grabs clean clothes out of her drawer. She then follows the trail out of her room, picking up her clothes along the way. She reaches the top of the stairs.

"Where is my..." before she can ask the dress comes flying up the stairs at her. She catches it, and retreats to her room. She tosses the clothes in the hamper, and crawls back into bed. As she flips her light off the front door closes.

Tony drives three blocks, to pick Hannah up. The car is barely stopped before Hannah is inside. She tosses her things in the back, and buckles up.

"So are you sick, or did you just want to come home?" Tony questions.

She grabs his hand, and places it on her forehead.

"Ok, we'll stop and get you some Tylenol," he agrees as he pulls away from the curb.

"Why are you picking me up?"

"It's a long story."

"What is the short version?"

"Your mom had a little bit to drink with dinner, so I had to drive her home."

"It's three o'clock in the morning," she points out.

"I..." he begins to explain.

"Never mind. I don't want you to have to explain."

Tony stops at a convenience store on the way back to Ziva's. He grabs some Tylenol, some sprite, and some gatorade. He returns to the car in three minutes. Hannah sits in the front seat with her eyes closed. By the time he reaches Ziva's Hannah is asleep. He grabs all of her stuff, and the bag from the convenience store. He tries to figure out how to carry her, and all of her stuff.

"I can walk," she tells him as he stands next to her, with the door open. He steps aside, and she follows him into the house. He grabs her a bottle of water out of the fridge, and a Tylenol. She collapses on the couch.

"You should go to your bed," he suggests.

"I'll be fine," she argues.

"Hannah," he scoops her up off the couch. He carries her up to her room.

Hours later he wakes up on the couch. He wanders up the stairs. He finds that Ziva isn't in her bed. He looks around the room. He notices that the bathroom door is cracked, and the light is on.

"You ok in there?" he questions.

She doesn't answer him. He tiptoes into the bathroom. He finds her in the bathroom, hugging the toilet bowl.

"Are you hung over?"

"I do not get hung over," she replies, "Can you go check on Hannah?"

He nods. He leaves her room. He walks down the hall. He stops at the bathroom door. He listens before reaching for the knob. He pushes the door open, and finds a similar scene in Hannah's bathroom. He quickly grabs her hair. He takes a hair tie of the bathroom counter, and secures her hair in it.

He runs down the stairs, and gathers supplies. When he returns to Ziva's room she is lying in bed, defeated. He hands her a bottle of water, and some Tylenol. He places a bottle of sprite on the stand next to her bed. He walks down the hall. He finds Hannah in her room. He repeats the same actions in Hannah's room.

"Do you need anything else?" he asks her.

"No," she groans as she pulls the covers over her.

He returns to Ziva's room.

"You should go, before we make you sick," Ziva insists.

"Who is going to take care of you?"

She doesn't argue.

"I'll call Gibbs, and tell him to keep Matthew."

"Ok," she agrees.

Hours later Ziva, and Hannah are finally able to keep something down. They decide on crackers for dinner. They sit on the couch with sprite, gatorade, and crackers.

"You should go check on him," Hannah points out.

Ziva nods. She gets up off the couch, and walks into the tiny bathroom, beneath the staircase. Tony weakly clings onto the toilet.

"Can I get you anything?" she offers.

"I should have listened to you, this is miserable."

"Tony, I think you probably would have gotten sick, even if you hadn't stayed."

"Yeah, you're probably right," he agrees.

Hours later Tony is passed out in the armchair. His legs dangle over the end. Ziva, and Hannah are curled up on the couch. Both of them snore.

Gibbs stands in his basement, working on his boat. Matthew watches from the work bench. He sits quietly, in his car seat. Gibbs turns around, and grabs a piece of sandpaper from next to Matthew's car seat.

"Tony says that you want to play football. I hope that you sail too. Would you like to go sailing? When you're older I'll take you, if your mom will let you go. What would you think about that?"

"Gibbs," a voice calls out.

"Down here," he replies.

Abby joins him in the basement. "What are you doing here, Abs?" Gibbs questions.

"I was in the neighborhood," she lies.

"You were sent to check up on me?"

"Yes," Abby confirms.

"We're both fine."

"You already have him working on the boat?" Abby wonders.

"He's just supervising right now."

Abby unbuckles the car seat. She slips the baby out of it.

"It's been so long since I saw you last," she comments.

"Abby you saw him on Thursday."

"I know Gibbs, now it's Sunday. In baby time, that is like years. I don't want him to forget me."

"You are unforgettable."

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah Abs?"

"This has to be weird."

"You breaking in to my house?"

"The door was open," she reminds him.

"Not what you meant?"

"Having a baby with Ziva. I mean you are the closest thing she has to a father, and..."

"Yeah Abby, it is unusual."

"Is it true?"

"Is what true? What are you talking about?"

"That there are ten more of them."

"Yes," he confirms.

"And one of them belongs to Jenny, and Eli?"

"That's true."

"Do you know the identities of the rest of them?"

"We decided that some stones should remain unturned."

"So you know that their daughter was not created in a test tube?"

"Yes Abby, I know."

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah Abby?"

"I was going through all the files. I think that Eli was specifically targeting NCIS."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because there is something you don't know," she reveals.

"Abby..."

"I found another file. This was another project that Eli had in the works. He came up with it in 2005, after Ari's death. In the file is a list of names, paired with Ari's. All of the females are from NCIS. There are twenty names on the list."

"Twenty children?"

"No, but Gibbs we didn't confirm DNA on all the children."

"What are you saying?"

"It wasn't just a plan. Eli spent a lot of time, choosing the perfect match, for Ari."

"Ari did not have any children at..."

"The date of fertilization, implantation, and birth for one of the children matches Ari's file," she reveals.


	29. Weapons Of Mass Destruction

"Who does it match up to?"

"Cain."

"Cain? He is only a few months old," Gibbs points out.

"There's more," Abby reveals.

"Like what?"

"The woman he was released to, she was CIA, but has ties with Mossad, specifically Eli David."

"You think that she's a double agent?"

"It would make sense."

"Why?"

"Eli had very specific plans for Cain. He and Daniel, they were born around the same time, for a reason. He wanted them to be close, but..."

"Like Ziva, and Ari he wanted to turn them against each other."

"Not just Ziva, and Ari."

"Mossad against NCIS. Two children both with the potential to go either way, good, or evil."

"If Ari is Cain's father, who is his mother?"

"Eli specifically chose her for several reasons, but one of the biggest, the dead cannot fight any battles."

"Jenny?"

Abby looks at the sleepy baby, in her arms. She then looks at Gibbs, "No. Not Jenny."

He stares at her, in disbelief. He doesn't say it.

"Are you sure?"

"I can't prove it, until I have DNA. Until then, it is just a theory."

"I'll get it for you."

"Are you sure that you want to do that?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"No one ever has to know. There is nothing that anyone can do. No one has any right to him. Both of his parents are dead, and were, long before he was conceived. Eli is dead, but..."

"He's still pulling the strings."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Call Ziva, see if she's up. If she is take Matthew home."

"Where are you going?"

"Annapolis."

"Annapolis?"

"I've got to talk to Rider."

"Jenny's daughter?"

"They call her the gate keeper."

"Gibbs you haven't asked..."

"I know how Eli's mind works."

"This never has to leave this room."

"She'd never forgive me, if it didn't."

"What is your plan?"

"I don't have one, but I have to do this, for her."

"Ok," Abby agrees.

He finds himself, hesitating, outside of Rider's room. Finally he knocks on the door. A girl with auburn hair answers.

"Agent Gibbs," she smiles.

"Rider?"

"I assume that you have questions you would like answered, and since one of your people killed my father..."

"He was a bastard, he deserved it."

"That is true. How is Hannah?"

"Fine. I am here about Cain."

"Ah, one of your people cracked the code?"

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Is Ari his father?"

"Yes," she nods.

"And his mother?"

Rider's lips curl into a devilish smile. "I thought it would really set you off. Mossad stealing DNA from your team members, and creating children, one by one."

"Answer me!" his patience begins to wear thin.

"I will answer you, but I have a question for you to answer first."

"What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Raising a child that is not yours? Does Ziva know the truth?"

"I don't lie to Ziva."

"So you do know the truth?"

"Who does Cain belong to? Who is his mother?"

"Your precious Kate."

"Why?"

"Creating these children, it has caused a lot of upheaval, a lot of whispers. It has caused quite a stir. When the truth comes out, it seems as if no one will be left standing."

"They are still being used as weapons, to bring NCIS down. To tear it apart."

"I suggest that if you want to keep that from happening you tell the truth."

"And if I don't?"

"It's your call, but it would be a shame to watch your team fall apart."

"You're just like him."

"I never had a chance, to have any humanity. My mother did not want me. She cast me aside like garbage. When I met her, she wasn't even sorry for what she did."

"I don't believe it."

"Believe it Jethro. She chose her career over her child. She chose to keep it a secret. She conspired with Eli, to come up with a plan that would protect her. The only problem was that for some reason, he took an interest in me. And you took him away. You let her get killed. You are responsible for all the heartache of all the people around you. You know that don't you? For Ziva, for Tony, for Jenny, and Kate. The worst part is that you don't have the integrity to tell them all the truth."

"Don't," he warns.

"You're driving a wedge between you, and your team. You are tearing it apart, on your own. That is what happens when you lie, even if it is to protect someone. Your lie, it is going to come out, and no one will ever forgive you."

"I had no choice."

"No choice? You always have a choice. Why is living a lie, easier than telling the truth?"

"She asked me to."

"That doesn't make it ok. What you're doing, you are creating a monster. You are no better than Eli. You two, you know that, right?"

"So tell me Rider, your father, he loved you so much, what did he leave you? Did you get the whole empire?"

"Does it matter?"

"I am just curious to know."

"I don't know. The will has yet to be found."

"That's because there is no will. You will get nothing. You have done his dirty work, and you will get nothing, for it."

"Goodbye Agent Gibbs."

He sits in her living room. He stares at the chubby baby in the bouncy seat. The little boy stares back. Hannah and Ziva come down the stairs.

"So where are the two of you going?" he questions.

"To go get lunch, we'll be back in twenty minutes," Ziva reminds him.

"Ok," he agrees.

"Are you sure that you are ok?"

"Ziva I have taken care of him, before. I can handle it."

"Why do you seem so nervous?" Ziva inquires.

"I'm not. It's not like he is mobile, I can't lose him, or anything."

"Are you sure that you know what you want? What you wrote down, that's what you want?" she checks.

"Yes, now please, go get lunch. The boy and I have some very important things to do."

"Like what?" Hannah wonders.

"We've got to watch basketball, and talk about it."

"Right," Ziva nods, grabbing her coat, and heading for the door.

Ziva gets into the car, and turns the engine on. She buckles up. She looks over at Hannah, and waits for her to buckle.

"Seat belt," she reminds her.

Hannah doesn't reach for her seat belt. She turns, and looks at Ziva.

"Something on your mind?"

"Does Matthew really belong to Agent Gibbs?"

"Why are you asking?"

"This is going to get ugly, isn't it? Why would you lie about something like that?"

"Hannah..."

"You know, that I know the truth. I know about my father, and I know about his, too."

"Your father?"

"My father was terrorist."

"Oh."

"You didn't know?"

"No."

"Just like I know, that you are lying about Gibbs being his father. You must have a really good reason. Who are you protecting?"

"Hannah what makes you think, all of a sudden that Gibbs is not his father?"

"It isn't all of a sudden. I have been wondering for weeks. I watch everyone interact with him, and... Gibbs... he has honest eyes, but when he looks at Matthew... something changes."


	30. The Rest Of The Universe

Ziva's cell phone rings. She pulls it out of her pocket. She puts it to her ear.

"David," she answers.

"Ziva it's me."

"What's going on?"

"I'm on my way over."

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"I can't do this anymore."

"We agreed that it was the best thing."

"We were wrong."

"But..."

"There is no other option."

"He won't understand."

"It's better to tell him now."

"Ok," she agrees, hanging up.

Hannah watches her closely as they turn onto their street. Ziva pulls into a parking space, and puts the car in park. She turns off the engine, and unbuckles. Hannah gets out, grabbing the bags of take out. Ziva follows her in. Hannah puts the food on the kitchen table.

"Hannah take your lunch, and your brother upstairs, please."

"Why?" she furrows her brow.

"Because I asked you to," Ziva replies.

"Ok," Hannah agrees. She grabs her lunch, and baby Matthew. She puts Matthew in his crib, and heads into her room. Ziva takes a seat next to Tony, on the couch.

"What was that about? What is going on? Why do you look like that?" Tony quizzes.

"Gibbs is coming over."

"Why?"

Before she can answer, Gibbs is knocking on the door. Ziva jumps off the couch. She flies across the room, and opens the door to let him in. He comes in. He takes a seat on the chair, adjacent to the couch. Ziva returns to her seat, next to Tony.

"I feel like this is an intervention," Tony admits.

"It's not, more like an apology," Gibbs reveals.

"An apology? The two of you don't apologize. What did you do that requires apology?"

"We lied," Gibbs answers.

"About what?" he looks at Gibbs, and then to Ziva. Ziva refuses to make eye contact.

"Ziva you should tell him," Gibbs suggests.

"I am sorry," she begins.

"No good conversation, ever starts like that," Tony warns.

"I know."

"What are you sorry for?" Tony wonders.

"I lied to you. I know that I made a mistake. I understand if you can never trust me again, but you have to understand. I had a hard choice to make. I did what I thought, was the right thing. I was wrong, and I know that now."

"What did you do?"

Ziva looks to Gibbs for help.

"The test results that we gave director Vance, they were faked," Gibbs divulges.

"Faked? Why would you fake them?"

"We didn't want Vance to know the truth. I didn't want you to know the truth."

"What truth? You two aren't Matthew's parents?"

"I am," Ziva replies.

"Gibbs... what is going on?"

"Ziva asked me to lie."

"Why?"

"I knew that he was a good father..."

"Why would you lie? Who are you protecting him from?"

"It isn't who we are protecting him from."

"Who else knows?"

"Abby, and McGee, they both know," Gibbs reveals, "They promised to never tell."

"It was unfair to ask them that," Ziva realizes.

"Why wouldn't you tell me? You don't trust me?" Tony wonders.

"I do trust you. I just didn't know how things would work out, if you knew the truth. I didn't know how you would react."

"React to what, Ziva?"

"Matthew does not belong to Gibbs. I asked him to convince everyone that he did."

"Why?"

"I thought that it would be easier."

"Easier than what?"

Gibbs sits in silence.

"The truth," she admits.

"Who is his father?" Tony insists on knowing.

"You are," Ziva reveals.

"Me? I am his father? Why wouldn't you want me to know that? What possible reason could you have for keeping that from me?"

"Tony, she didn't know how you would react. She only had your past actions, and behaviors to go on. Do you really blame her? You have never proven to her that you have the maturity, or willingness to take care of a child. You needed to prove that."

"How long were the two of you planning on keeping this from me?"

"As long as it took," Ziva responds.

"To what?"

"Prove me wrong. You have proven yourself. I know that it was wrong to test you, but I had to be sure. I had to know that you were all in. This wasn't something I could take a chance on. I had to know that you were willing to step up to the plate, and you have, even though it wasn't your job. You have been there for both of them, even though you thought that neither of them were yours. That means something. Now I know that I have misjudged you. I am sorry that I doubted you."

"Why are you telling me now?"

"Something Rider said," Gibbs admits.

"Rider? You saw her?"

"Today. I went to see her after Abby stopped by."

"Why?"

"Something Abby told me. Rider confirmed it. But she told me that I was responsible for tearing the team apart, for lying."

"What did she confirm?" Ziva asks.

"That Cain, he is another one of Eli's special projects."

"What do you mean?"

"His records were falsified. He does not belong to the woman who we surrendered custody to."

"Who does he belong to?" Tony inquires.

"Ari, and Kate," Gibbs reveals.

"Ari, and Kate? Eli created a child that was born, after both of his parents died?"

"Yes," Gibbs confirms.

"Are you sure that he is the only one?" Tony queries.

"No," Gibbs shakes his head.

"Are we going to tell Vance?"

"Tony, the less we tell him, the better off everyone is," Gibbs replies.

"We should..."

Gibbs shakes his head before DiNozzo can finish his sentence. "We are not going to do anything. I am going to leave, and the two of you are going to talk. You're going to make it work, for your son," he demands as he vacates his chair. He walks out the front door, closing the door behind him.

Tony stares at Ziva. She looks back at him.

"You're angry?" she guesses.

"I'm hurt, and disappointed that you didn't tell me."

"Are you ever going to forgive me?"

"For lying?"

She nods.

"Ziva I wish that I could be mad at you, because what you did, it was wrong."

"But?"

"But I can't. I don't blame you. I understand what you did, and why you did it. I am your partner, I always have your back, but you couldn't have known that I would take any responsibility for him. You didn't know that. I am sorry that you doubted me. When were you planning on telling me?"

"Never," she admits.

"Never? I can't believe that you doubted that I would be there for my child."

"So am I. Where do we go from here?"

"You aren't going to be able to get rid of me now. I'm like the gum that's stuck to the bottom of your shoe. You can scrape, and scrape, but it never really comes off."

"I don't want to get rid of you."

"You don't?"

"No."

"Can I come down now?" Hannah hollers from the top of the stairs.

"Yes," Ziva agrees, with a smile.

Hannah comes down the stairs. She hands Matthew to Ziva, "He wants you," she announces. She heads into the kitchen to throw her trash away.

"Are the two of you going to eat your lunch?"

"In a minute," DiNozzo answers.

"Ok," Hannah leaves the kitchen. She comes into the living room, and takes a seat in the chair Jethro had been sitting in. She stares at the two of them.

"So, have the two of you figured it out yet?"

"Figured what out?" Tony questions.

"The two of you are supposed to be together. All the signs point to that as the only option. The two of you being more than partners..."

Tony wags his finger. She stops, and waits for him to argue. "You don't have to lecture me. I get it."

Hannah looks at Ziva. Ziva looks at her, then to Matthew, and finally to Tony.

"You have made it perfectly clear that you want us to be together."

"So has the rest of the universe," Hannah retorts.


	31. Frills

Her eyes pop open, suddenly she's wide awake. She glances at the clock, it tells her that it's ten after one. She listens to the noises around her. She feels the person in bed next to her move. He rolls over, and kisses her, on the cheek.

"Go back to sleep," he whispers.

She opens his mouth to argue. He hops out of bed. "I've got it," he assures her. He walks around the bed. He wonders over to the crib. The room is dark, and even though he can't see the baby's eyes, he knows that he's awake. He carefully lifts the little boy out of his crib. He adjusts the baby's blanket, and the little boy settles into his arms. He takes the baby, and heads for the door. She rolls over in bed, and closes her eyes, trying to go back to sleep.

When she opens her eyes again the room is brighter. She rolls toward the warm body in her bed. She expects to find him sleeping. Instead she finds him sitting in bed, holding Matthew, against his chest. She scoots over in the bed, until she is beside him. She rests her head on his chest, and watches Matthew as he sleeps.

"What time is it?"

"Five thirty."

"He's still sleeping?"

"Still? He just went back to sleep. I just fed him."

The baby's face is less than an inch from hers. She kisses his chubby cheek as he sleeps. He doesn't stir when she touches him.

"You should probably jump in the shower," he suggests.

"Are you sure?"

"Go."

"I've got to get Hannah up," she argues.

He slips out of the bed. "I'll do it," he promises softly. He returns Matthew to his crib. Ziva heads to the bathroom, to get a shower. He stretches, and heads to the door. He walks down the hallway, to Hannah's room. Her door is open, just a crack. He tiptoes into her room. He squats down, next to her bed. Her nightlight illuminates her face. He carefully brushes the hair off her face.

"Wake up, kiddo. Time to get ready for school," he says quietly.

"Five more minutes," she begs.

He turns on her lamp.

"No, come on, get up," he insists.

Her eyes pop open, and look at him. She furrows her brow in disgust.

"Good morning," he smiles.

"It is too early to be pleasant," she reminds him.

"That's a shame, because I was going to make your favorite breakfast."

"And what is that?"

"Oatmeal," he tests her.

"Oatmeal?" she scrunches her face.

"Oh that's right, your favorite breakfast is a bowl of Trix."

She sits up in bed. "I wonder if I could convince mom to put Trix in my lunch?"

"I doubt it."

"Could I convince you?"

"Well Jungle girl, tame your mane, then we'll negotiate."

"It's that bad?"

"It's only going in about twelve different directions."

"I fell asleep with it wet."

"Maybe your mom can fix it."

"Where is she?"

"In the shower. You should wear that skirt that she got you."

"I don't know why she bought that, I don't like skirts."

"Sometimes you have to do things, just to make her happy."

"Why?"

"Because she deserves it."

"Tony, there are tights too."

"I would hope so, you can't wear a skirt, and leggings, and Chucks, that doesn't work at all."

"It's a purple skirt. I have white and purple tights, and a white and purple shirt to match, but no purple shoes. I have red, and green, and black, and grey, and even blue, but no purple."

"Didn't she buy you flats? To go with the skirt?"

"I wouldn't let her."

"What if you had a pair of purple high-top converse? Would that work?"

"I don't," she reminds him.

He opens her closet. He reaches onto the top shelf, and pulls out a shoe box. He hands it to her.

"You got these for me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I knew that it was the only way you'd wear the skirt."

"Why do you want me to wear the skirt? Why do you care what I wear?"

"I don't, but your mom wants you to wear the skirt."

"She wants me to act like a little girl?"

"Will you wear it, please? For her?"

"What's in it for me?"

"Trix," he smiles.

"For lunch?"

"Maybe even dinner," he adds.

"Ok," she agrees.

He returns to Ziva's room. He slips in the bathroom as she's brushing her teeth.

"Good news I convinced Hannah to wear the skirt."

Ziva spits the toothpaste in the sink, "Do I want to know how?"

"It is a very simple trick, known as bribery."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I had to bribe her, it was the only way."

"You did not have to convince her to wear the skirt."

"It is important to you."

"It is not that big of a deal," she argues.

"That is a lie. You want her to be a sweet little girl."

"She is a tomboy, I get that."

"But sometimes you just want her to be a little girl."

"Is that wrong?"

"No. You didn't get to dress her in frilly little outfits, until she was old enough to tell you no, so I think that it is fair."

"I would not have dressed her in frilly little outfits."

"I've been shopping with you recently," he reminds.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You are usually very quick, and to the point when you're shopping, but the other day I saw you. I was supposed to be helping Hannah pick out a new game, and you were supposed to be finding new clothes for Matthew. When I walked by I saw you in the baby section..."

She cuts him off, "That is where you find baby clothes. It is not my fault that he outgrows everything."

"You didn't let me finish. You were holding him, and I saw you looking at this little pink dress. And you looked at him, and I could see it in your eyes."

"See what?"

"You wondered what it would be like if he was a little girl."

"He is a boy," she responds as she puts on her make-up.

Tony turns on the shower. "So you don't wonder what it would be like to have a little girl?" he questions as he pulls his t-shirt over his head.

"I have a daughter," she answers.

He drops his pajama bottoms, and his boxers on the floor. He steps into the shower.

"But she is not a little girl. She is eleven. And you wonder what it would be like, if you had a little girl, instead of a little boy."

"Are you saying that I want a little girl? Tony I am perfectly happy. I love Matthew."

"I didn't say that you didn't, but sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants."

"You think that I am not perfectly ok with truck, dinosaur, and Ohio State clothes? With everything revolving around eating, and sports? And pooping? I am. I have spent years around you, I am used to the world revolving around eating, pooping, and sports."

"You didn't wear dresses as a little girl, did you?"

"Only when I had to."

"Someone made you?"

"For dance recitals, sometimes."

"I'm not questioning your love for our son. Nor am I questioning your ability to take care of him, or anything like that. I just want to know..."

"I do not wish he was a girl, if that is what you are going to ask. He is perfect."

"Stop putting words in my mouth."

She looks in his direction as she stands at the bathroom counter. "So what is it you want to know, exactly?" she queries as she flosses.

"Do you wonder, what it would like, to have a little girl? A baby, girl?"

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"Why are you being so defensive? I am just curious. There is nothing wrong with the desire to have what you want."

"I wonder, sometimes. That doesn't mean anything though. I am perfectly happy. I love the both of them."

"Liar."

"You're calling me a liar?"

"Ziva there is nothing wrong with wanting to have a little girl. To want to not only be a parent, and have a child, but to have the whole experience. I understand that you want to know what it's like, to give birth, to your own child. You do not have to be so up in arms. I am not faulting you. You don't always have to expect the worst from people, you know? It's ok, for the heart to want what the heart wants."

"Tony?"

"Huh?"

She walks over to the shower. She pulls back the curtain. He looks at her. She kisses him.

"I don't want to be late for work, and..." he begins.

She smiles as she stares at him, "Why does your mind always go there? Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss."


	32. Loyalty

"Come on, let's go," he stands by the door, staring at his watch.

Hannah grabs her backpack, and her lunch. She scurries towards the door.

Tony looks up the stairs, "Zi, we're leaving," he calls out.

"I'll see you at work," she calls back.

He and Hannah run to his car. She jumps in the passenger's seat. He turns on the engine. She buckles her seat belt.

"Tony?"

"Yes?" he questions as he puts the car into gear.

"You shouldn't keep it in your pocket," she warns.

He looks at her in confusion. "The ring," she clarifies.

"How do you know about the ring?"

"You asked me to help pick one out. You told her that we were going to go find a new video game."

"Oh."

"And you asked me to stay at a friend's house."

"Why is that significant?"

"You want me out of the house. You want to ask her, and you don't want me there because I am guessing that you are hoping things will not stay G rated."

"Hannah! Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Make me a promise?"

"What's that?"

"You'll call when she says yes?"

"If."

"She will."

"Lets hope."

"I can't wait. You know, I've never been to a wedding."

"It's pretty boring stuff."

"Don't be stupid about this, ok?"

"Should we go through what I'm going to say?"

"Just don't tell her you want to do it because you don't want me to get the wrong idea, about you living in our house, and sleeping together, in the same bed, and stuff, and not being married."

"And stuff?"

"My point is, don't say something stupid."

"What should I say?"

"Just tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel about her, and why you want to marry her."

"I am going to marry her," he makes the realization.

"And you aren't even a little scared, are you?"

He shakes his head in disbelief. "I just keep thinking that if I don't do it soon, I'm going to lose her. I can't lose her. She is everything. Being with her, being a family... that is all that matters anymore. It's hard to believe."

"I need to ask you something."

"Anything princess."

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why do you love me, like I am your own child? I'm not, but you still treat me, like..."

"Sometimes there is no reason, other than it just feels right."

"It wasn't because you felt sorry for me?"

"No. It was never my intention to become your father figure, it just happened. I just wanted to be your buddy. The more I got to know you, the more I wished that I had a daughter like you."

"Like me? Why?"

"So I could be some obnoxious guy pointing you out, in a crowd full of people, who I don't know, and say, 'That's my daughter'."

"That is kind of creepy. It's very abnormal."

"The day that you decided not to brand Eli, I was so proud of you."

"What if I had shot Eli? Would you still feel that way? Would you want to let everyone know that..."

"I still would have been proud of you."

"Why? I almost killed him."

"Not in cold blood. You were going to kill him, to protect your family. I am not saying that is normal, or that is right, but it's noble."

"Why did you take the shot?"

"Because I want you to be a normal kid. I don't want you to have blood on your hands."

"You don't want me to be like my mother?"

"I don't want you to have to feel like you need to keep everyone out, because you are afraid that they won't understand why you did the things you had to do. I want you to be so jaded, that you feel you cannot trust anyone. I don't want you to be afraid to be who you are, because you're afraid who you are isn't good enough. That is how she feels. She doesn't say it..."

"But we both know, it's true. I can see it too."

"Hannah can I ask you something?"

"Yes," she nods.

"I am not just marrying your mother. I know that she is a package deal. I know that when I commit to her, I am also committing to you."

"So what is your question?"

"I want the four of us, to be a family."

"We are."

"Officially," he clarifes.

"I don't understand," she admits.

"I want to adopt you."

"Why?"

"So I can be the obnoxious guy, pointing you out to people I don't know, and saying, 'That's my daughter,'. I know that your trust, your loyalty, that is something I have to earn. I also know that I have to earn the right to say that, but..."

"You already have."

"I..."

"You took someone's life, so that I would not have to. You made a choice that you thought would keep me from doing something that I could not live with. You treat me like my opinion matters, even when it doesn't. You try to protect me, even when you know that some things I will have to learn on my own. You have earned it. And just so you know, I am glad that you pulled the trigger."

"You don't think you could have done it?"

"I know that I could have, but the aftermath, that isn't something I wanted to deal with."

"I know."

"Why weren't you angry with her? For lying to you?"

"I was, but... sometimes you just have to let it go."

"Why did you?"

"If the situation had been reversed, I would have done the same thing. She knows that I always have her back, that she can trust me with her life, but..."

"It wasn't her life she was worried about."

"Who could blame her? I haven't been the most responsible guy. I haven't always been..."

"Why is it that the two of you felt the need to hide your feelings, from each other? For so long?"

"Sometimes you can't say the things that you need to say. Sometimes you lie, when the truth would do better."

"Why?"

"Because you're afraid."

"You've almost lost her before. What was different, this time?"

"Once I lost her, and it was too late, there was nothing I could do."

"When you found her why didn't you tell her the truth?"

"I did."

"Not all of it."

"I just wanted her back."

"Why was this time different? She didn't go anywhere."

"I saw her changing, and I knew this time was different. I knew that if I let her go this time, I would never get her back. The other times, I had hope, that maybe, by some miracle, I would get a second chance."

"Was there a moment?"

"Yeah," he nods.

"Are you going to tell me what it was?"

_He takes his seat on the plane. She looks at him, for a brief second. She shifts her glance, to Hannah. She stares at the eleven year old. She then turns, and looks out the window. He can almost hear her thoughts. He sits next to her. He touches her hand. She looks at him questioningly. She doesn't say a word._

_In her eyes he can see that she's changing. That she's thinking of leaving. Of taking what she had, and running. Of giving it all up, to protect her daughter._

_She looks at him, unafraid of what he might see. She wished that just once, he understood what she was asking of him, without her having to say a word. He was in, or he was out. If he was out, she was gone. NCIS had become her family, but now more than anything she felt vulnerable. Nothing in her life could ever be simple, and this... was far more complicated than she needed it to be. She loved him, but the love of a child... of her child... that was not something she was willing to risk. _

_She couldn't do this. She couldn't lie to him, everyday, for the rest of her life. She couldn't bring home a son, their son, and not tell him. She knew that any choice was going to be difficult, but none of them seemed right. She wondered if he'd ever get it. Could he ever see that she was waiting on him? But she couldn't wait forever, there was to much on the line now. Before she never had anything to lose, but now... everything had changed. She didn't know how to be a mother. She didn't know how she could do it, on her own, but there had to be a way. She only needed one reason to go, and one to stay._

_He smiles at her. She doesn't take her eyes off him. He squeezes her hand. He breaks the silence._

_"If it were easy, anyone could do it. You are not just anyone. You are the strongest person I know. Don't forget that no matter where you've been, or where you end up, the journey, was not predestined. You can't get where you're going without a way to get there. You're in the driver's seat, you decide where you go. You, and only you," he whispers._

_She nods, understanding him completely._


	33. Back To Normal

He checks the caller ID on his ringing phone. He furrows his brow in confusion, and flips the phone open.

"Gibbs."

"Are you busy right now?" A familiar voice questions.

"Not for you. Why? What's going on?"

"Um... I need a favor."

"Shoot."

"I am going to send you a picture. I need you to find out who it is."

"A picture of who?"

"That's what I want you to find out."

"From where?"

"I left my friends house a few minutes ago. I am on my way home. The nanny is waiting on me, but this guy has been following me for two blocks."

"Send the picture to Abby. I'll be right there."

"Ok," she agrees.

Ten minutes later he pulls up beside her. She's about a block from home. She climbs into the car with him.

"Where is he?"

"When he saw you car coming down the street he disappeared."

"Hannah..."

"Gibbs?"

"I get the feeling that you know who he is."

"I don't, but I may have a hunch."

"Who?"

"Does it matter?"

Gibbs phone rings. "Hello? Yeah, I'm with her now. You're sure. Ok, thanks Abby."

"You didn't tell mom, or Tony, did you?"

"No. Why did you call me?"

"I didn't want them to worry. They worry about me enough."

"Hannah you seem anxious."

"I have reason to be, don't I?"

He pulls up next to curb. He puts the car into park, and kills the engine. He locks the doors, keeping her from getting out. She turns and looks at him.

"You want to talk?"

"I'd like you to talk," he answers.

"Are you going to tell me what Abby said?"

"Are you going to tell me what makes you think that it is ok to disobey your mother's direct orders? Hannah she has told you not to walk home alone."

"I know."

"Didn't you learn your lesson?"

"It was six blocks."

"And someone was following you."

"I know but..."

"Hannah there are no buts here. You need to listen to what you are told."

"Even if I don't agree?"

"Sometimes parents tell you to do things, and you don't like it, but you do it anyway."

"Why?"

"You need to listen to what she says. She's your mother. You need to start respecting her."

"I..."

"You don't. I understand that this is hard for you. For eleven years you didn't know her. Now you do. Things are changing, and sometimes change is hard. Hannah she is trying to look out for your best interest."

"She treats me like I am some fragile china doll that is going to break. I am not going to break. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

His fingers hook under her chin, he pulls her head towards him. "Look at me."

She locks eyes with him.

"Hannah it is not your job to take care of yourself. It is hers. Let her do her job, no matter how hard it is for you. You may be capable of taking care of yourself, but you are still a child. You are her child, and she has every right to make rules that you don't understand. She has every right to worry about you. It's her job to take care of you."

"She treats me like a child."

"Because you are."

"I am not like most children."

"No, and you never will be, but one thing is never, ever going to change."

"And what is that Agent Gibbs?"

"You are always going to be her child. No matter how old you are, or where you go, you will always be her child. She will always worry about you. You just have to accept that."

"Even when I am grown?"

"When you put her into a nursing home, she will still treat you like a child, because you are her child."

"I guess that I don't understand."

"Understand what, Hannah?"

"Why does she love me? How is it that she met me and..."

"It doesn't take giving birth to a child, to love them, to have a connection with them. You know that."

"You're referring to Tony?"

"Yes. He's a different person since you came along."

"Gibbs?"

"Huh?"

"What if he came here to..."

"To what?"

"Take me? What if he found out and he wants to take me from her?"

"I won't let that happen."

"How are you going to stop him?"

"The how isn't really important. Just know that he isn't going to take you. He isn't going to get near you. I won't let him."

"You're going to tell her, aren't you?"

"Do I really have a choice?"

"No, she wouldn't understand if you didn't."

"Hannah?"

"Huh?"

"You're being unusually quiet."

"I hoped that I'd never have to hear his name again."

"I won't say it, if you don't want me to."

"It just keeps playing on a loop in my head."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she nods, "How do I make it stop?"

"Say it out loud. Make it get out of your head."

"Why is he here? What does he want?"

"He probably wants you."

"What makes him think that he has any claim to me? He doesn't? He hasn't contributed anything to my life, except..." she trails off.

"Hannah you're not like him."

"Rimon Akiva is a vile man. A vile man, who is responsible for half of my DNA."

"DNA does not make us who we are. It's just a part of us."

"What if it's not? What if it's more, than just a part?"

"Are you afraid that you are going to be like him?"

"It is so easy, to go down the wrong path. I don't... I just want to be normal. For once in my life I want to be normal. I want to live in a house with my dysfunctional, crazy family. I have never had anything normal in my life, until now. I don't want to have to choose one thing, over another, all the time."

He turns the car on. He puts it into drive.

"Where are we going?" she questions.

"To the Navy Yard."

"Why?"

"Because you are a normal kid, Hannah."

"What do you mean?"

"Right now, you just want your mom. Even though you know she doesn't have superpowers, you want her to make everything better, and somehow, she always does."

"How does she do it?"

"If I knew her secret, I would tell you."

"She's still a mystery to you, isn't she?"


	34. Never Been Born

She crosses her arms as the elevator doors open. He motions for her to get onto the elevator. She refuses to move.

"In!" he insists.

"I want to be in a safe place when you tell her what's going on."

"You want to be out of her reach?" he clarifies.

"Yes," Hannah nods.

"Fine," he concedes.

He leads her into Abby's lab. They find Abby concentrating on her computer screen.

"Abs?"

"What do you need Gibbs?"

"I need you to watch her. Don't let her out of your sight."

She looks up at them. She smiles, "Ok."

He leaves the room. Hannah walks over to Abby. She places her elbows on the table, and her head rests on her palms. She stares at Abby's computer screen.

"What are you working on?"

"Hannah why are you here?"

"I think you know."

Abby turns, and looks at the eleven year old. "Yes I know why you're here. Do you know why you're here?"

"Because Agent Gibbs tends to react when it comes to my safety."

"You think that he overreacted?"

"He lectured me about disobeying orders."

"Because you do it all the time."

"So do you."

"That's different," Abby argues.

"How?"

"It just is."

"Abby?"

"Yes, Hannah..."

"You seem irritated with me."

"I'm not irritated with you."

"So why are you irritated?"

"I just keep finding things that no one wants to know."

"Abby?"

"Yes, Hannah?"

"Sometimes I think that I never should have come here. Everyone would be better off if they didn't know the truth. Everything has changed, since I arrived."

"Don't ever think that," Abby warns.

"How can I not?"

"What is really going on, here, Hannah?"

"I always feel like I've ruined things."

"What things?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"Hannah you didn't ruin anything."

She looks up, as he stops in front of her desk. She stares into his blue eyes, he says nothing.

"Where did you go?" she wonders.

"You're not going to like it," he warns.

"Like what?"

"Where I went."

"Since when has that ever mattered?" she inquires.

"I went to pick Hannah up."

"Why?"

"She called me."

"Why? What is going on? Is she ok?"

"She's downstairs with Abby."

"Where are DiNozzo, and McGee?"

"They went to see Ducky."

"Call them, have them come up here."

"Why?"

"Because we've got a problem."

"What kind of a problem? I thought you got a confession from the dead Marine's killer."

"I did."

"So what is the problem?"

"It's bigger than a dead Marine."

"What is going on?"

"Hannah called me earlier, and told me that someone was following her."

"Following her? She was supposed to stay at her friend's house all night."

"Obviously she isn't very good at following the directions that you give her."

"Who was following her?"

"She sent a picture to Abby, and..."

"And?"

Hannah stares at Abby as she works. Hannah keeps the silence between them going."Hannah you're being too quiet."

"I'm supposed to be quiet, aren't I?"

"You are supposed to be a lot of things, but you're not."

"True."

"Why are you being so quiet?"

"Because I have a bad feeling about all of this."

"Why?"

"In real life, the good guys don't always win."

"What do you mean?"

"What if they can't stop him, from taking me? If that is what he wants, if he is as terrible, as I have heard, then he will stop at nothing to get what he wants."

"That's not going to happen."

"But Abby..."

"Hannah I understand that you are afraid, but..."

Hannah cuts her off, "I'm not afraid. I just know that... I'm tired. I am not some prize. I am not a weapon. I'm just a kid. A kid who wants to stay where she is."

"Then you just need to convince him of that."

"How?"

"Gibbs can keep him from getting to you, but he can't keep him from watching you. You just need to act like you are a normal kid."

"I'm not."

"No, but you're a good actress."

"Speaking of which, are you coming to my play next Saturday?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for the world."


	35. Late Night Visitors

She has just put Matthew to sleep. She is in the kitchen, making Hannah's lunch for the next day, when someone knocks at the door. Tony's eyes meet hers, from his seat on the couch. She shakes her head. She grabs her gun, and makes her way to the door. She peaks out, and unlocks the door. She takes a step back, but doesn't lower her weapon.

"What are you doing here?" she growls.

"Put your gun down, I didn't come here to hurt anyone."

"I will not put my gun down. I don't trust you."

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead, Ziva."

"Rider, what are you doing here?"

"I brought you something," Rider hands her an envelope.

"What's this?"

"It's yours."

"What is it?"

"It's what Eli left you."

"Why did you bring me this? I don't want it."

"I think that you will."

"Why do you say that?"

"I heard that Rimon Akiva was following Hannah."

"Did you send him?"

"No."

"How will this help?"

"Because above all else, he's a greedy son-of-a-bitch. For enough money, you can make his disappear."

"What does he want with her, anyway?"

"What everyone has wanted from her, her whole life, they want to mold her into a deadly weapon. Of course none of them have ever realized that she is to stubborn to be molded into anything, other than what she wants to be. He wants to use her against you, against the rest of the world. There are some people in this world, that you can take everything from, and make them into cold, malignant, killers, but I think we both know, Hannah is not one of those people. You could take everything from her, and she would still be the same person she is today. Despite everything, she is a good person. Despite every attempts to turn her into a monster, she's not. I guess that there is something inside her, that keeps her from being like the rest of us."

"Rider, do you expect me to believe that you are really here, to help me?"

"I know that I am not known for my honesty, or character, but... I am not here you hurt you. I would never hurt Hannah. She's the only person I've ever met, in my entire life, who has never lied to me. Even when she was in a hospital bed, she never lied to me. I remember, because she told me that she wasn't afraid to die. And for most people, that would be a lie, but for Hannah, it wasn't. Hannah is not afraid of anything."

"Rider..."

"Look I know you hate me. I know that you don't believe most of what I say, but I am trying to help you here. Take my advice. Please. It is better to pay Rimon off, if you don't, he'll never stop. He will never leave her alone. Every time that you think he's gone, he'll pop right back up. He is not a good man. He is part of the beast that our father created."

"How much will it take?"

"He is used to being treated like a dog. He'll leave you alone, just for scraps. Give him a quarter of a million, and he'll leave you alone, forever."

"A quarter of a million? What is in this?" she looks at the envelope.

"Stocks, bonds... insurance policies, it's your half."

"My half? How much is my half?"

"I don't know," she shrugs, "Somewhere around two and a half million, I guess. He also set up trusts for Hannah, and Matthew, to the tune of... a million each, I believe. Eli was a sick twisted man, but he wanted to repay us, somehow, for the pain he caused us."

Ziva shakes her head. She holds out the envelope.

"I don't want this."

"It's yours."

"I don't want blood money. I don't know how, or where he got this, and I do not want to have any part in it."

"Take it."

"You can have it, I don't want it."

"I can't take it, even if I wanted to. It's yours. Put it to good use."

"I.."

Rider turns, and heads down the steps. When she reaches the bottom she looks back, and smiles, "Have a good night."

Ziva closes and locks the doors. She puts the gun on the coffee table. She hands the envelope to Tony.

"Where are you going?" he questions.

"To check on Hannah."

"You just checked on her ten minutes ago."

"I know," she replies as she starts up the stairs.

She pushes the door to Hannah's room open. She hears the rain tapping on the window. The light of the moon illuminates the room. She takes a seat on the edge of Hannah's bed.

Tony looks in on Matthew, who is sleeping peacefully, and then continues down the hall, to Hannah's room. He reaches the doorway, and Ziva's had flies up, motioning him to stop. He waits.

Hannah traces letters in the palm of Ziva's hand. Ziva kisses her temple, and rises, as if to leave. Instead she turns, and goes over to the closet. She stares at the doors for a moment, and then yanks them open.

Tony flies into the room, as a gun barrel points at Ziva's chest. He reacts quickly putting the barrel of his gun to the intruder's temple.

Ziva's voice remains calm, "Not in here," she says steadily. She pushes him into the hallway, Tony follows her out, closing the door behind them.

Her dark eyes stare the man down. She holds the barrel of her gun to his head. She searches for a place to start.

"Go, ahead, pull the trigger," he begs her.

"Do you really think that I am going to do that? Is that the kind of person you are? You want me to murder you, outside of my eleven year olds bedroom? Do you really think that is the kind of person that I am?"

"I don't really know who you are, but I have heard many things."

"Why are you here? What do you want? I hope that you don't think you are going to take her from me."

"It seems as if, it is the only way that I could ever get to know her."

"You don't want to know her."

"Tell me, Ziva, what are you willing to do, for her? Why is it that you automatically assume that my intentions are bad? Did it ever occur to you, that like you, I have been misjudged, by many people?"

"I don't really care what you think, or what you say. Stay away from my daughter."


	36. Falling Into Place

"Or what? Are you going to take my life?"

"Why are you here? What makes you think that you can walk in here, and have anything to do with her?"

"I am her father," he declares.

She shakes her head, "No, you are her sperm donor."

"And you are an egg donor, what makes you her mother?"

"It's more than blood. Maybe you wouldn't know about that, since yours runs cold."

"I am not who I have been made out to be. I did things... to save lives. I do not enjoy taking lives, but sometimes there is no other choice, you know that. Obviously, you are holding a gun to my head, right now. You're willing to kill for her, die for her..."

"What is your point?"

"I want a chance, a chance..."

"To do what?"

"To get to know her. I have done a lot of terrible, terrible things, but I would never hurt my own child, intentionally, or not. Like you, I am looking for a chance at redemption. I know that you don't like me, and that is ok, because I'm not asking you to. I am just asking you to give me a chance, to get to know her. I am her father."

Hannah's door flies open. She steps into the hallway.

"Hannah, go back to bed, please," Ziva begs, trying to shelter her daughter from the harsh realities of the world.

"It's ok," Hannah responds, stepping between Ziva, and Rimon. She takes her hand, and puts it on his gun. She lowers it. Ziva lowers hers, Tony keeps his weapon trained on Rimon. Hannah stares up at the tall, handsome, stranger. She opens her mouth, and begins speaking.

"There have been enough lives lost. This stops here," she insists.

Rimon stares at her. They all listen carefully.

"Look, I don't know you. You may be biologically responsible for me, at least in part. I understand that you want to know me, but I don't want to know you. If you care at all, you will respect that. I do not want to get to know you."

"I am your father," he replies.

She shakes her head, "No, that job is already taken. I don't care about what you've done. It wouldn't matter to me, if you were the greatest, wealthiest, nicest, person on this planet, I don't want you in my life. Please go. Please go, and don't come back."

"She's brainwashed you," he responds.

"No one has brainwashed me, many have tried, but, like her, I am too thickheaded. I do not easily accept the things that I am told. I may not always be right, but I know who I am, and what I believe. I'm sorry if you can't understand that, but... you have no choice. You've spent your whole life, doing whatever you wanted, doing whatever it took, for you to be, the person you are. Your whole life, has revolved around you, and maybe you think that being a father will change that, but if you aren't sure... there is no point in trying. I know that I am only eleven, but I understand how the world works. I know that even if your intentions are pure, and you truly do want, what you say you do, it still will not be enough. You will find a way to disappoint me. I have had enough disappointment for one lifetime. If you have any humanity, any heart at all, you will turn, and leave, and never come back. You will stay out of my life, because I am asking you to. I am happy, I have a family, and it doesn't include you. I don't need anymore upheaval. I need stability, which is what I have."

"You really want me to go?"

"You are not my father. It takes more than DNA, to be someone's father. It isn't just about blood. It's much more than that. You have a job, and a life, that doesn't include me. You will never be able to find a way to include me, and that is perfectly fine, because I don't want to be included. I already have a place. I already have a father."

He nods and smiles. He hands her a business card. "Take this. I doubt that you will ever change your mind, but if you need an organ, or something, you can give me a call."

"Ok," she agrees.

"Goodbye," he waves.

They step back, and he turns, and walks down the stairs. Tony follows him down the stairs, and bolts the door behind him. When he returns to the top of the stairs he finds Ziva with her arms wrapped around Hannah. Her head rests on top of Hannah's. Finally she lets go. She just stands in the hallway, and stares at her.

"What?" Hannah questions.

"How did you ever get to be so..." Ziva trails off.

"So, what?"

"Perfect?"

"I am not perfect. I'm just... me."

"How did you get to be so fearless?" Ziva wonders.

Hannah smiles, "I got that from you," she turns, and heads towards her room, "Night."

"Goodnight. I love you."

Hannah stops in her doorway. She stares at Tony, and Ziva.

"By the way, Tony had something important to ask you, before he found out I was being stalked."

"It can wait," Tony argues.

"But it shouldn't, definitely not on my account," Hannah insists.

"Hannah, I think you should go to bed," he smiles.

"I love you too," she quips.

He rolls his eyes, and smiles, as she disappears into her room.

"There isn't anyone else in your closet, is there?" he calls after her.

"Clear," she retorts.

He turns and looks at Ziva.

"Come on, let's get to bed. We've had a long day."

"What were you going to ask me?"

"It can wait," he contends.

She climbs into bed. He follows her. She listens to the noise of the house, around her. It was like a lullaby to her. The fan, the squeaking of the mattress, as Tony tries to get comfortable, the sound of the baby's breathing, as he sleeps, the sound of the rain on the window. Her lullaby is broken by the sound of a voice.

"Ziva?"

"Huh?"

"Do you ever wonder what we did, to get so lucky?"

"To deserve all of this?"

"Uh huh."

"Only every single day of my life."

"I mean, we have good jobs, enough money to pay the bills, a roof over our heads. There are to amazing, happy, healthy kids. And of course, we've got each other."

"How does she see things that no one else sees?"

"I just think that she's bold enough to tell people when they're being stupid, that's her gift."

"We are lucky."

"Do you think that we could get any luckier?"

"I don't know, did you play the lottery?" she jokes.

"I'm serious."

"I don't know, why? How could we get much luckier? We could get shot at less?"

"Not what I was thinking."

"What were you thinking?"

"I know there is no such things as perfection, but... I can think of something pretty close."

"And what would that be?"

He places a tiny box in her hand.

"What did you just give me?"

"Open it, and see."

"It's dark."

"It's sparkly, it'll refract the moonlight."

"Tony..."

"It's an engagement ring. I was hoping that you would do me the honor of becoming my wife, and making me the happiest man on the planet."


	37. Permission

She takes a moment and then replies, "When did you become such a sap?"

"Do you want an exact date? Because I can certainly give you one."

"You know the exact day?"

"Yes, of course," he nods.

"How?"

"It was the day that Hannah walked into NCIS. Since then I have... things have changed."

"Yes," she agrees, "They have."

"So what do you say?"

"To what? I never heard you ask a question."

He smiles, "Will you marry me?"

"No," she shakes her head.

"No? What do you mean no? What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You just don't want to get married."

"There is something I need you to do, first."

"Ok, what is that?"

"You need to ask..."

He cuts her off, "Who else do I need to ask? I have asked you. Hannah has given me her permission..."

"Does Gibbs know?"

"I will ask him, if that is what you want."

"Don't ask him, tell him."

"Who else do I need to ask? You are the one that I want to marry."

"You should ask my mother."

"Excuse me?"

"If you want to be on her good side, and believe me, you do, then you should ask her.

"Your mother? How would I ask her? I have never met her. I have no clue where she is. You never talk about her. Do you even speak to her?"

"Rarely."

"Then why does it matter?"

She sighs, "Because now I understand why she did the things that she did. I spent a lot of time blaming her, for things that were not her fault."

"When was the last time you talked to her?"

Ziva thinks back, "I spoke to her during Hanukkah."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"When I came to D.C., chasing after Ari."

"Six years?"

"Yes."

"How do I get a hold of her? Do you have her number?"

"Yes I have her number, but..."

"But?"

"You need to ask her in person."

"Why does it matter to you?"

"It is the only way I know to get forgiveness."

"Forgiveness for what?"

"Choosing my father, instead of her."

"You should talk to her," he suggests.

"I will."

"When?"

"You first," she answers.

"Ok," he nods in agreement, climbing out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I have things to do. I'll see you in the morning, at work."

"Do you know how ridiculous you seem right now?"

"I have waited a long time, for you."

"What do you mean?"

"I have waited a long time, for you to be available."

"Available? I have been single plenty of times."

"That isn't what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

"Emotionally available."

"Oh, I guess I can see where that might have been a problem."

"Can I ask you something?"

"I have rarely been able to stop you from asking."

"What happened?"

"What happened? When?"

"What happened, between you and your mother?"

"What happened? It wasn't something that just happened. It was a culmination of everything. She always wanted me to be a person that I wasn't. I guess it was her way of trying to protect me, the only way she knew how."

"But you haven't seen her in years."

"She never liked the choices that I made. I was tired of not being what she wanted me to. I was tired of never living up to her expectations."

"Goodnight," he kisses her.

He quietly tiptoes down the stairs, into a basement. He stops when he reaches the bottom.

"You didn't have to tiptoe. I hope you weren't trying to sneak up on me. The floorboards upstairs creak, you know."

"I'm sorry to barge in, so late."

"So late?" Jethro looks at his watch, "It's only eleven o'clock."

"At my house that is late, now. The kids are both in bed, asleep by nine o'clock."

"That doesn't mean you have to go to bed."

"It doesn't? I'm completely exhausted by nine o'clock. I don't know when I became such a baby. I used to be able to stay up for days, without being fazed, but now..."

"Things change. Why are you here, exactly?"

"I have to talk to Ziva's mother."

"Her mother? I didn't know she had one."

"Everyone has one," Tony argues.

"You know what I meant."

"She never talks about her."

"Why do you have to talk to her mother?"

"Same reason I'm here, talking to you."

"And what is that?"

"I want to marry her."

"Ok," Jethro nods.

Tony continues rambling, "I know that it breaks the rules. I know that you don't like it. I know that Vance is going to hate us, he'll try to pry us apart, but she is my partner. She's the best partner that I've ever had. So before you say no, just hear me out."

"I didn't say no."

Tony takes a moment, "You said 'Ok,'. Why did you say ok?"

"It doesn't really break any rules."

"Rule number twelve?"

"Is don't date a co-worker. There is no rule against marrying one."

"So it would be wrong to date a co-worker, but not to marry one?"

"It's not about what's right and wrong."

"Why did you say ok?"

"If I say no, is it going to stop you?"

"No."

"Then what is the point."

"I just thought that you would be opposed to it."

"I am opposed to a lot of things that the two of you do, but... like you said you're partners. And you're damn good ones. The two of you make a great team, and I am not going to screw with that."

"Great, now I just have to go convince a woman that I don't know to let me marry her daughter, who she hasn't seen in six years."

Gibbs smiles, "Good luck with that."

"Any advice?"

"Ask your question, and then let her do the rest of the talking."

"But..."

"You don't want to blow it, do you?"

He nods, "You're right. I will let her do the talking."


	38. Mothers

Early the following morning, after having spent all night, tracking down Ziva's mother, he finds himself at a D.C. hotel. He rides the elevator to the eleventh floor. He gets off, and takes a right. He stops when he reaches room 1162. He straightens his tie, and takes a deep breath. He knocks on the door.

He hears footsteps. A fifty-something gentleman opens the door. His hair is grey. He stares at Tony, with big green eyes.

"Can I help you?" the man questions.

"I'm looking for Rivka."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Tony DiNozzo. I'm an NCIS agent, I..."

"You know Ziva?" he inquires.

"Yes, she's why I am here."

"Has something happened to her?"

"No."

"Hold on."

He walks away from the door. A few moments later a woman comes to the door. She smiles widely at him.

"Come in," she insists, leading him to a couch in the suite. He takes a seat on the couch, and he slides into a chair. He stares at her, silently.

"Agent DiNozzo, I am curious, why are you here?"

"Ziva asked me to come."

"Is something wrong?"

"She's fine."

"So why are you here?"

He looks at her, unable to speak.

"Agent DiNozzo?"

"Sorry, I just... you look so much like her."

"Yes," she nods, "So tell me, what brought you here."

"She asked me to come."

"You said that. Why did she ask you?"

"She wanted me to ask you something."

"Why couldn't she ask me?"

"It's more appropriate for me to ask."

"Then ask."

"I would like to marry your daughter."

"You do not need my permission. You should ask her father."

"That's going to be difficult."

"Eli can be a difficult man."

"Because he's dead," he clarifies.

"I hadn't heard. It has been a long time since I have spoken to Ziva. What happened to Eli?"

"It's a long story. The short version is, I killed him."

"You want to marry my daughter?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And she wanted you to ask my permission."

"Yes," he nods.

"Why?"

"I thin because she wants you to be part of her life."

"She has never wanted that before."

"Can I ask why?"

"She thinks that I made her choose. Between family, and Mossad."

"She chose Mossad."

"She is the one who chooses not to communicate with me. I tried for many years, to try and repair our relationship, but I never could. She has always been stubborn, she has to do things on her own time."

"She has changed a lot. She is still as stubborn as a mule, but... things have changed a lot in the past five and a half years. Things have changed a lot in the past few months."

"So the two of you want to get married?"

"Yes."

"Are you planning on having children?"

He swallows hard. She leans forward in her chair.

"You already have a child?"

He digs the wallet out of his pocket. He pulls out two pictures, he hands them to her. "Hannah, and Matthew."

"You have a child of your own?"

"Hannah?"

Rivka nods.

"Both of them belong to Ziva."

"Both of them? That is not possible."

"Hannah is eleven."

"Which is why it's not possible."

"Except it is. Eli had a project where he took donor sperm, and eggs, from unsuspecting victims. He used surrogates to give birth to the babies. After birth they were taken to a training camp. Ziva didn't know that Hannah even existed, until recently."

"You are telling me that Eli harvested eggs, from his own daughter? And created a child, without her knowledge?"

"Yes," he nods.

"And Matthew. He clearly belongs to the two of you."

"He does."

"So the two of you have been together for a while?"

"No," he shakes his head.

"No? You have a child together."

"Another one of Eli's projects. When Hannah came to NCIS, and told us what was going on Matthew hadn't even been born yet. He was born while we were in Israel."

"So both of the children are with Ziva?"

"Yes," he nods.

"And you want to marry her?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"It is a simple question. Why do you want to marry her?"

"Because I love her."

"For how long?"

"A long time."

"And you're just now asking her to marry you?"

"It's been a long road. We are both notoriously bad at relationships. It was never the right time."

"So what changed?"

"Someone pushed us in the right direction."

"Someone?"

"Hannah. She's an amazing kid. She reminds me so much of Ziva. She's smart, and fearless. And Matthew, is... he is going to be a linebacker. I know it's wrong to decide what you want for your child, and not let them choose, but... he's a big baby. I swear sometimes I wake up, and I can see that he's grown, over night. Listen to me... I'm rambling on about Hannah, and Matthew. I came here for your blessing."

"Am I going to get to meet them?"

"If you want."

She smiles, "You have my blessing."

"But?"

"I want to hear more about them, before you leave."

"Ok," he nods, beaming from ear to ear.


	39. Reality Sets In

He sits at the table, eating dinner. Dinner at their house was unusually quiet. They didn't want to talk about their days at the dinner table, they were all, always too hungry to discuss anything. They all just shoveled food into their mouths. Matthew sleeps in the next room. The phone rings. He swallows, and gets up from the table.

"Hello? Yes. Oh. Why? Ok. Thank you, bye," he hangs up.

Ziva looks at him. She can tell that something is wrong, by the look on his face, as he hangs up the phone. She furrows her brow. Her eyes ask the question. He motions for her to follow him. She follows him up the stairs, into her bedroom. He closes the door behind her.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to talk," he announces.

"About what?"

"That was Dr. Finn."

"Oh," he heart sinks.

"He was calling because..." Tony begins.

Ziva's hand waves, "Don't say it," she warns.

"He wants to run some more tests."

"I don't understand. It was supposed to be a routine check up."

"Things happen."

"This is not supposed to happen. This is not fair."

"I know that, but let's not freak out, until we know, for sure."

"How are we supposed to do that?"

He shrugs, "I don't know."

"This isn't fair. She is eleven years old and..."

He reaches out, he pulls her against him, and hugs her. "I know," he whispers. She pushes him away.

"I... I don't think that I can do this. I don't think I can go through this. I won't lose her."

"You're not going to lose her."

"You don't know that."

"Ziva... can we please just take this one step at a time?"

"And in the mean time what are we supposed to tell her? It isn't like we can hide this from her. She's going to know, whether we tell her, or not."

"So we just tell her the truth."

"But I don't want to tell her. I don't want her to know."

"She has to know."

"Why? It isn't fair. No one should have to go what she's gone through. Damnit! She's just a kid."

"We'll figure this out."

"How? How are we going to figure this out? What are we going to do, if everything isn't ok?"

"We will just take it one day at a time."

"That isn't good enough."

"We don't even know that she's sick."

"No... but..."

"Can we try to stay calm, until we have all the facts?"

"You can, but I can't."

"We can't control this."

"I know that."

"Then stop trying to."

"I can't. I just want to protect her. I can't protect her from this, and it kills me."

"Ziva I just want to protect her too. But, we can't protect her from everything. We can't protect her from this. Can we just be optimistic? Everything is probably fine."

"Probably? No, you have no way of knowing that."

"Even if it's not... she's a fighter, she'll make it through."

"She shouldn't have to fight so hard. She's just a kid."

A knock on the door brings them back to reality. Ziva turns and looks at the door. She pushes down the anger, and the hurt, and tries to compose herself. Finally she answers, "Come in."

Hannah steps into the room. "The two of you are too loud to have private conversation. I could hear you all the way in the kitchen."

"Sorry, we were..." Tony tries to explain.

"You're upset, it's ok."

"Hannah," Ziva begins.

"Just tell me," Hannah insists. Ziva stares at her, paralyzed. She finds herself unable to say anything. Tony steps in.

"That was Dr. Finn on the phone. He wants to run some more tests. He said that some of the results from your blood test concerned him. He thinks that we may need to consider the possibility that the leukemia is back."

"Ok."

"Ok?" Tony questions.

"There is nothing I can do. I can't just wish it away, if it's there, it's there. I'll just have to deal with it."

"How can you be so calm about this?" he asks her.

"This isn't my first rodeo. I have been through this before. There is no point in freaking out, until we have all the facts."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he wonders.

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Are you sure?"

"I am not afraid of dying. I know that is a possibility, but... I could get hit by a bus, or something. I mean, that is just as likely."

"You're not worried?"

"Of course I'm worried, but worrying doesn't get me anywhere."

"If you want to talk, we're always here."

"I know."

"Do..."

Hannah cuts him off, "Mom?"

Ziva returns to reality. "Huh?"

"Are you ok?"

She looks at her daughter, knowing she can't lie. "No. I'm not."

"I'll be fine."

"And what if you're not, Hannah?"

"Life will go on."

"What if it doesn't, for you? What am I supposed to do, then?"

"You do what you always have, you just keep going."

"How can you be so calm?"

"I understand that you are afraid that you're going to lose me. No one should ever have to bury their child, but we have no control over this. How this turns out, that is someone else's department."

"But..."

"It is too soon to lose faith," Hannah reminds her.

"It is too soon to lose you."

"The world won't stop, if I die. You can't just stop living. You have to keep going. For Matthew."


	40. Results

"Are you coming out of there, anytime soon?"

"In a minute," she answers.

He turns the knob, to the bathroom door. He walks into the bathroom, and finds her sitting on the lid of the toilet seat.

"What are you doing?"

"Sitting here."

"Why?"

"I don't want to go out there."

"The phone is going to ring, either way."

"I know but if I'm in here, I won't hear it."

"You really need to stop worrying about this. Hannah was right, we have no control over this."

"I know, but..."

"You have made yourself sick worrying over this, every day for the last two weeks. Ziva just chill out."

"Just chill out? Sometimes I wonder how you can be so..."

"So what?"

"Inconsiderate."

"How am I being inconsiderate?"

"You don't seem worried at all. Hannah's leukemia could be back. She could die. How does that not bother you? She could die."

"It does bother me."

"You don't show it."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because someone has to be strong, for her."

"And I'm not?"

"You're her mother. Your mind automatically jumps to the worst case scenario. You're worried about what to do, if that happens. I understand that."

"Are you afraid, of losing her?"

"Of course I am. You, and Hannah, and Matthew, are my world. If one of you weren't here, I can't imagine what that would be like, but right now, I don't have to. I am not going to try, until that time comes, if it ever comes. I don't want to think about the worst case scenario. I want to think about the best case scenario."

"What is the best case scenario?"

"That there is nothing wrong with her. That we get married, and we all live happily ever after."

"How can you even be thinking about that, right now?"

"Thinking about what?"

"Getting married? That is the least important thing right now."

"Ok, how do you really feel?"

"I want to marry you, but there Hannah is the most important thing, right now."

"I see. Is that why you never asked me about your mother?"

"What do you mean? What am I supposed to ask, about her?"

"What she said."

"What she said? When did you talk to her?"

"A couple of weeks ago."

"You never told me that."

"You never asked."

"You talked to her?"

"Yes," he nods.

"In person?"

"At her hotel room. I also met her husband."

"Greg?"

"Yup."

"I didn't really expect that you would track her down."

"You didn't think that I was serious?"

"I have to wonder, sometimes."

"What is there to wonder? Have I not made it perfectly clear that I want to be with you? I want to be married to you?"

"I..."

"I love you, I'm not going anywhere. No matter how bad things get, I am never going to go anywhere. Have you been thinking that?"

"Thinking what?"

"That if Hannah's sick, I'll split? That it will be too much for me to handle?"

"The thought has crossed my mind."

"Well it shouldn't have."

"Why not?"

"Because I am not going to run. She's my daughter too."

Ziva looks at him, for the first time in weeks she smiles. "Yes, she is."

"And if she's sick, I'm not going to leave her side. I am going to be there with her, every single step of the way. I'll do whatever she needs me to do. I'll do whatever you need me to do. I'll do whatever it takes, to get us through this."

"You already are."

"So, can we go now? Before we're late?"

"Is Hannah even up?"

"I thought you woke her up."

"You didn't wake her up?"

Another voice joins the conversation, from their bedroom. "Come on, are you guys ready to go, or not?"

"Yes," they nod.

Half an hour later they wait on the doctor to join them. Hannah sits on the exam table, swinging her legs. Tony sits in a chair, reading a magazine. Ziva sits next to Tony, biting her nails, unable to take her eyes off of Hannah. There is a knock on the door, and the doctor comes in. He walks over to Hannah.

"How are you feeling today?"

"I feel fine. I wish that you would stop asking that. Even if I'm sick, it's not like I am going to drop over dead, all of a sudden, or anything."

"You're feeling fine?" he clarifies.

"Yes. I feel great."

"How are the two of you feeling?" he turns to Tony and Ziva.

"They're losing their minds," Hannah informs them.

"Well I don't want to delay this any longer. I've reviewed the test results."


	41. Observations

"And I'm perfectly fine," Hannah guesses.

"Almost," he answers.

"Almost? Could you just tell us what's going on, so I can get to school?"

"Yes Hannah," he smiles.

"So..." Tony taps his foot.

"She doesn't have leukemia. She is cancer free."

"But?" Hannah questions.

"But you need to take some iron supplements. You're iron was extremely low."

"Ok," Hannah agrees, "Can we go now."

The doctor smiles, "Yes, you're free to go."

They drop Hannah off at school, and head to work. The following morning is Saturday. Ziva wakes up, and finds Hannah sitting on the end of the bed. She looks over, and notices that Tony is gone.

"Why are you in here?"

"I was waiting for you to wake up."

"Where is Tony?"

"He went to the grocery store."

"For what?"

"To get diapers, and baby formula. He took Matthew with him. He wanted to let you sleep in."

"Sleep in? What time is it?"

"Nine."

"Nine? Why did you let me sleep so late?"

"I thought that you would want me to let you sleep."

"Why are you in here?"

"Because I was waiting for you to wake up."

"How long have you been awake?"

"Since seven."

"You're already dressed."

"Yes, that's what normal people do. They get up, and get dressed, and make the most of their day."

"I don't understand. I didn't even hear them wake up. I usually hear everything. I went to bed at eleven, why am I still asleep."

"Sometimes I worry about you."

"Why?"

"Because there is something wrong with you."

"Like what?"

"You're abnormal."

"And you are normal?"

Hannah smiles, "No, I take after you."

"How long have you been in here?"

"Ten minutes."

"What have you been doing, for ten minutes?"

"Just watching you sleep."

"Watching me sleep? That is creepy."

"What else did you want me to do? Jump up and down on the bed? Shake you, until you woke up? I know better than that."

"I am awake now. Do you need something?"

"Maybe."

"Are you hungry?"

"No, we already ate."

"You already ate? When?"

"An hour, and a half ago. We went to waffle house."

"And no one woke me up?"

"We thought that it would be nice to let you sleep in."

"Did you bring me back anything?"

"Are you really hungry?" she inquires.

"Not really," she admits.

"I didn't think so."

"Are you a mind reader, today?"

"Nope. I just know things. I am observant."

"What things do you know?"

"Things that you don't."

"What things, are you talking about?"

She shrugs, "I don't know. How are you feeling this morning?"

Ziva furrows her brow, unsure of what Hannah is trying to get at. Then it hits her. She rips off the covers, and races into the bathroom. Hannah follows behind her, clipping her hair behind her, as she leans into the toilet bowel. Hannah waits patiently to her to finish vomiting. She sits quietly, on the edge of the bathtub.

Ziva finishes, and walks past Hannah, without a word. She brushes, swishes, and flosses. Hannah smiles.

"What?"

"I did bring you something, just not to eat."

"What did you bring me?"

Hannah steps out of the bathroom, and into the bedroom. She grabs a paper bag, and places it on the counter. Ziva stares blankly at the paper bag, that is folded at the top. She turns and looks at Hannah.

"What is it?" she quizzes.

"Just open it," Hannah insists.

Ziva unrolls the top, and flips the bag upside down. The contents spills onto the countertop. She stares at the item on the countertop, and then turns to look at Hannah.

"Where did you get this?"

"The store."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

Ziva finds herself too confused to answer.

"It's for you," Hannah adds.

"I would hope it isn't for you."

"It's definitely not."

"Why did you get this?"

"Why do you think?"

"Why did you get this for me?"

"You're really asking me that? You just threw up."

"Hannah, I'm not pregnant."


	42. Instructions

"There's not any point in arguing about it. Just take the test."

"Just because someone throws up, doesn't mean that they're pregnant."

"I know."

"I can't believe you bought this."

"I didn't."

"Who did?"

"I merely suggested it."

"To who?"

"Tony."

"Why?"

"He agrees with me."

"Agrees with you? About what?"

"He thinks that you are too."

"Why?"

"You have thrown up everyday for over two weeks."

"That doesn't mean..."

Hannah cuts her off, "And you're tired all of time. You slept until nine o'clock this morning. That's not a red flag to you?"

"Hannah."

"Can you tell me when..."

"Hannah!"

"I crossed the line?" Hannah assumes.

"Yes," Ziva nods.

"I understand that, but I'm not going anywhere, until you take it."

"How did you get to be so stubborn?"

"You're my mother."

"You are the most frustrating child I have ever met."

"I love you too."

"Please go."

"Go, where?"

"Out of the bathroom."

"But..."

"Do you want to watch me pee?"

"No, ma'am."

"Then go into the other room."

"Fine," she crosses her arms, across her chest, and stomps off into the other room. Ziva closes the door behind her. She rolls her eyes as she rips the box open. She quickly pees on the stick, and puts it on the counter. She washes her hands, and opens the door.

"Well?"

"Hannah it takes three minutes."

"Right."

"I hope you're going to wipe that off," Hannah points to the counter.

"Why?"

"You just peed on the stick, and laid it on the counter. Someone else lays their toothbrush their, before the puts toothpaste on it."

"I'll wipe it off."

"Although, it would be kind of funny, if you didn't."

"It would be mean."

"Mom?"

"Yes, Hannah?"

"Aren't you supposed to be married before..."

"You really want to have this conversation, now?"

"Yes," she nods.

"In the world that we live in, most people are not married, before they get pregnant."

"Or have sex," Hannah adds, bluntly.

"That is true."

"But?"

"You should be."

"I should be, or people should be?"

"_You_, should be."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"But you're not."

"I don't always lead by the best examples."

"What if I can't wait that long?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Because I am just curious."

"You need to be old enough to deal with any consequences that may result from..."

"An age?"

"There is no age, Hannah. You just need to be old enough to deal with all the consequences."

"How old?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"Will Tony know?"

"I doubt it, but you can ask."

"So was that the talk?"

"No, that wasn't the talk. Do you want to have the talk?"

"No. I already know all that I need to know."

"You do?"

"Don't be stupid, that's all anyone needs to know."

"How do you do that?"

Hannah blushes, "Do you really want me to say it?"

"No, we'll have this discussion later."

"Later when?"

"Whenever you want."

"Good, because I don't think now is a good time."

"Oh really, and why is that?"

"Well it's too early in the morning, for one thing."

"And?"

"And I'm sort of distracted."

"Why are you distracted? What are you thinking about?"

"The fact that your stick is pink."

"What does that mean?"

"You didn't read the directions?" Hannah scolds.

"No," she shakes her head.

Hannah hears the front door open. She smiles, "Then I suggest that you hide that, because I did, and..."she trails off.


	43. Pieces Of The Puzzle

"And what?"

"You should probably hide that from him, unless you want him to know you're having a shotgun wedding."

All the color drains from Ziva's face.

"Excuse me?"

"You should probably get married now."

"Hannah..."

Hannah smiles, "Next time you'll read the directions," and leaves the room.

Hannah heads down the stairs. Ziva slams the door shut, and locks it behind her. She turns on the shower, and reads the back of the box, before getting undressed. Maybe Hannah was pulling her leg. Maybe... she finishes reading the back of the box. She stares at the test, on the counter. Two bright, pink lines stare back at her. She tosses the box, and the stick into the trash, and undresses. She climbs into the shower.

"Where's your mom?"

"I think she's in the shower."

"Will you take the diapers upstairs, please?"

"Yes," she nods.

She gets out of the shower, and wraps herself in a towel. She wraps her hair in a towel, and moves over to the counter. She wipes the steam off the mirror. She just stares at her reflection in the mirror. Who was staring back at her? She wasn't really sure. Her whole life had changed so fast. She wasn't sure if she was ready for anymore changes.

It hadn't been so long ago that it was just her. She didn't have anyone, but herself, to worry about. Now there was a whole house full of people she had to think of. Sometimes she worried that Hannah was too much like her, for her own good. Stubborn, and resilient, and not very willing to talk about what's on her mind. She worried, that Hannah had things she needed to say, but couldn't. She didn't know how to talk to her. She was never any good at talking. That was what Hannah needed, to talk. For some reason she seemed to open up to Tony. Ziva couldn't really blame her. Tony was good at talking, but he was surprisingly good at listening, too.

And then there was Matthew. He was quiet, and sweet. She knew that those days were numbered. She knew that soon he wouldn't be a baby. If he was anything like Tony, once he started talking, he'd never stop. But right now, he was perfectly content, just watching everything that went on. He was far more laid back than she had pictured. She had been lucky.

Then there was Tony. She wasn't even really sure how they had ended up together. They had been partners one day, and then the next, he was something else. She had always needed him, but it was different now. She needed to wake up next to him. She slept so much better, when everyone was in their beds. When Hannah spent the night at a friends, or Tony came in late, she couldn't sleep. She couldn't sleep without them. She needed everyone in their places. She never knew that this was what she needed. A family. She had gone from just one to the four of them, in the blink of an eye.

She loved them, but sometimes she felt like she was losing pieces of herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone for a run. Or, the last time she had gone out for a drink. She missed going undercover, for days. She missed running into the line of fire, without a second thought. She listens through the door. She can hear Tony in the kitchen, and Hannah's footsteps trailing down the hallway. Matthew chimes in, with a cry. She hears Tony trying to calm him down.

She pulls the trash can, out from under the sink. She looks inside. She reaches inside, thankful, that for once in his life, Tony had taken out the trash, when she asked. She pulls out a plastic stick. Two pink lines. She had read the box. She knew what it meant. So did Hannah. How could she have not seen the signs? It wasn't right, that her eleven year old, knew before she did. Although, in fairness she had never been in this situation before. Situation? It wasn't a situation. It wasn't like she was seventeen. It wasn't like this had happened after a one night stand. She was twenty nine. She was... in a committed relationship. She knew that they were going to get married. He had proven that he wasn't going anywhere. So why was she so scared?

The knock on the bathroom door jolts her back into reality. She tosses the stick in the trash can, and puts it back under the sink. She closes the cabinet doors, and moves towards the bathroom door. She unlocks it. She finds Tony standing on the other side, holding Matthew. Matthew squirms, in his arms.

"Someone wants his mommy."

"Can you give me a minute to get dressed?"

"Yep. Hey, are you ok?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," he shrugs, "You just look like you've seen a ghost, or something."

"I'm fine, I'm just not awake yet," she fibs.

"Ok. We'll be downstairs, when you get done."

"Ok," she goes to shut the door.

"Hey one more thing."

"What?"

He kisses her. "Love you."

"I know."

"Ziva, that isn't how you're supposed to answer."

"I love you too. I don't think I should have to say it, for you to know it."

"No, but it's nice to hear."

"I'll be down in a few minutes."

He takes Matthew, and leaves the room. He heads downstairs. He puts Matthew in his playpen, with his football.

She quickly dries her hair, and grabs some clothes. She pulls on the first thing that she comes to, that matches. She stops at the bedside table, and flips open her phone. She scrolls through the calendar. She tries to figure out the dates. Matthew was... five months old. Where had the time gone? Tony had asked her to marry him months ago. They had barely discussed it lately. There were too many other things on their minds. Work. Matthew's first cold. The possibility of Hannah being sick. The possibility that Hannah's sperm donor could show up at any moment. Things had been chaotic, to say the least.

"Mom!" Hannah calls from down the hall. Ziva puts her phone in her pants pocket, and rushes down the hall. She finds Hannah in the bathroom.

"What?"

"Look," she points to the counter.

Ziva rolls her eyes. "Really, Hannah?"

"It's huge."

"You are afraid of a spider?"

"I am not afraid of spiders, I just don't like them."

Ziva grabs piece of toilet paper, and smashes it. She flushes it down the toilet.

"Why don't you like spiders?"

"They're so quiet. They just sneak up on you, and you don't even know that they're there."

"A lot of things are like that."

"Are you going to tell him?"

Before she can answer Tony is hollering from down stairs. "Aw, gross!"

Ziva leaves the bathroom, and heads down the stairs. She finds Tony changing Matthew's diaper. She just looks at him.

"Are you going to just stand there, or are you going to help?"

"Go put him in the bathtub," she smiles.

"That's all you have to say? The kid has poop all the way up his back, and that is your only comment?"

"Don't get any on the carpet," she adds.


	44. But We Already Have One

She follows him upstairs, to the bathroom. She carefully undresses Matthew as Tony runs the water. She tosses the onesie, and the diaper into the trash can. She holds Matthew away from her body, trying not to get poop on her. She places him in the bathtub, and Tony grabs a cup. He begins rinsing the baby off.

"How did he do this?" Tony questions.

"I don't know."

"How can one kid poop so much?"

"I don't know, but we should probably figure it out."

"I don't think we can stop him from pooping."

She just smiles. She looks at the baby in the bathtub, and just starts to laugh. She gets up from her spot, kneeling beside the bathtub. She closes the lid on the toilet, and takes a seat.

"You're going to bail on me? That's not fair. It's not that funny."

"I'm sorry, I just..." she laughs.

"You just what?"

"Can't believe this."

"That he pooped everywhere?"

"I think we should get married."

"I thought that we already decided that," he points out, as he wipes poop off Matthew's back. "Where did that come from?"

"We did decide that but, I think sooner would be better than later."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Do you have some reason?"

She looks at him questioningly.

"I do."

"What?"

"You don't know?" she raises an eyebrow.

"Don't know what?"

"Hannah?"

A few seconds later Hannah comes into the bathroom.

"Yes?"

"Is there something that you want to tell me?" Ziva questions.

"It was all my idea. He doesn't have any clue. He didn't go in with me. He just gave me the money," she says quickly, trying to get away.

"Whoa! Where do you think you're going?"

"I have homework to do," Hannah answers her.

"You have all weekend to do it."

"I have to do it now," she argues.

"Hannah!"

She runs out of the bathroom, towards the safety, and security of her own room.

Tony just looks at Ziva, in confusion. She grabs a towel, and takes Matthew from him.

"What was that about?" he questions.

"Sometimes I think that we're insane."

"I'm not sure where you're going with that."

"What have we gotten ourselves into?"

"I don't know," he shrugs.

"We're having a baby."

"We already have a baby," he points to Matthew.

She doesn't say anything, as she leaves the bathroom, and walks through their bedroom, across the hall, to Matthew's room. She grabs a clean diaper, and some clean clothes. She lays him on the changing table. She slides a clean diaper under him. She smiles as she fastens the diaper.

"Is that better?"

He smiles at her. She grabs the onesie, an attempts to put it over his head. He squirms. "Uh," he whines.

"Ok. We'll leave it off," she concedes.

"You're going to let him be naked?"

"He's wearing a diaper."

"But..."

"It's like ninety degrees outside. If he doesn't want to wear clothes, who could blame him."

"But we're inside. It isn't that warm in here."

She scoops the baby off the changing table, and hands him to Tony. He just looks at her, as he takes the baby.

"What do you want me to do with him?"

"Just hold him," she replies as she runs out of the bedroom.

"Where are you going?"

"To be sick," she responds.

He follows her back across the hall, through their bedroom, into the bathroom. He watches in horror as she empties the contents of her stomach. She gets off the floor, and moves towards the sink. She brushes, flosses, and swishes. She takes Matthew from him. She hands him the trashcan.

"What do you want me to do, with that?"

"Go empty it," she insists.

"Ok," he nods.

He takes the can downstairs. He walks through the kitchen, out the back door. He opens the dumpster lid, and dumps the can inside. The bag falls out as he dumps. He notices the box, under the dirty diaper. He grabs a broken hanger that is lying on the ground. He pushes the diaper aside, to get a better look at the box. He finds the contents of the box underneath. He tosses the hanger in the dumpster, and slams the lid. He carries the trash can back inside, and stops in the kitchen, to wash his hands.

"Zi?" he calls out.

"I'm right here," she answers from the living room, as she attempts to dress Matthew. She effortlessly slips the Ohio State onesie on him. She holds up socks. They're plain, and white. He takes them from her, and drops them on the floor.

"That's what I thought," she comments, pulling out a second pair of socks. She slips the scarlet, and grey socks on him, without any protest.

"Can you put him down for a minute?"

"Why?"

"We need to talk," he answers.

"And what is putting him down, going to do?"

"Ziva," he huffs.

She sits him in the playpen. She then returns to her seat on the couch.

"What?"

"I emptied the trash."

"I know."

"Do you know what I found in there?"

"Yes."

"So..."

"I told you, we're having a baby," she reveals.

"We're what?"

"Having a baby."

"But we already have a baby."

"What is your point?"

"We have one. How can we have another one?"

She rolls her eyes.

"You're not going to answer, are you?"

She shakes her head.

"We're really having a baby? You're pregnant?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Can I..."

She senses the panic in his voice, "Why don't you go for a drive?" she suggests, "Clear your head."


	45. Not Another Day

He gets into his car, and just starts driving. Thoughts race through his head. A baby? She was going to have a baby. His baby. They were going to have a baby. They already had a baby. He wasn't even six months old, and now they were having another one? A baby... two babies, under two. And an eleven year old. It wasn't that long ago that he was just her partner. They were partners, and a lot of things were left unsaid, but they were simple. Actually, things between them were never simple, but this was... ridiculous.

He recounts the events of the past few months in his head. Hannah came into the picture. They found out she was Ziva's daughter. They found out there were more like her. They returned some of them to biological parents. Then Matthew was born. Matthew was born, and Ziva had lied to him. She had convinced him the baby belonged to Gibbs, but he didn't. Matthew was his. His son, with Ziva. His partner, who he still hadn't told how he really felt. Then Hannah was kidnapped. By Eli. He killed Eli. And Hannah made him tell Ziva the truth. Hannah was being stalked. Hannah's sperm donor broke into the house, and she told him to get lost. Oh, and Rider. He had almost forgotten about Rider showing up, on their doorstep. What had Ziva done with that envelope? Knowing her she probably just thrown it away. Then he asked her to marry him. She asked him to talk to her mother. He talked to her mother, and she agreed. Then they found out that Hannah might be sick. But Hannah wasn't sick. Ziva was sick. No, not sick, pregnant.

His partner, the love of his life, who he was living with, but is not married to, was having his child. Things were spinning out of control. How had so much changed, in such a short amount of time? Was he making the right decisions? He hadn't had much time to think. He was so caught up in providing for his family... His family. Ziva, and Hannah, and Matthew, and a new baby. It was what he had always wanted, but never could admit. He just wanted everything to be in place, before they brought anymore children into the world. He wanted to be married. He wanted to adopt Hannah. He wanted the whole world to know, how he felt. Things just kept getting in the way. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. He pulls over, into a parking spot. He puts the car in park, and pulls out his phone.

"Hello?"

"I want to get married," he tells her.

"Why are you telling me?"

"I want you to take care of it."

"Tony, I don't know what that means."

"I am tired of waiting, I want to do it now."

"Now? When exactly?"

"Today," he answers.

"Today? You've got to be kidding."

"I need you. I don't know else could pull this off."

"What are you talking about?"

"I want you to put a wedding together, by five o'clock, today."

"What? You can't be serious."

"Please."

"What about the guests, the marriage license, the pastor, or do you want a rabbi? The dress, and the flowers. I can't do all of that by five o'clock. I mean where would you even get married at?"

"You leave the marriage license and the location up to me."

"You want me to handle the rest?"

"Yes."

"Tony, this is crazy. Why are you in such a hurry to get married?"

"I just don't want to wait any longer."

"Are you afraid that she's going to get away? I assure you she's not."

"I'm begging you, please."

"Is something wrong? Is someone sick?"

"No, Abby, no one is sick."

"Shotgun wedding?" she jokes.

He falls silent.

"Tony?"

"Huh?"

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes, I heard you."

"You didn't respond."

"It doesn't matter."

"Right, you don't want anyone to know, until it's done, and over with."

"Abby, please."

"Ok, but where is this going to take place at?"

"What about Yards Park?"

"Outside the Navy Yard?"

"Yeah, we could do it by the fountains."

"Then you should do it after five."

"Why?"

"Because it lights up after dark, and it's a lot more romantic. How are you going to get rid of all the tourists."

"Don't worry, I've got a plan."

"Tony, I don't know about this."

"Abby, please."

"Ok. I'll meet you there at seven thirty, we can start at eight."

"Thanks Abby, you're a life saver."

"Am I to assume that I need to find Hannah, and Matthew clothes too?"

"Please."

"Goodbye," she hangs up, rolling her eyes.

He pulls out of the parking space, and drives to a nearby neighborhood. He parks on the street, outside a house. He knocks on the door. To his surprise Gibbs answers.

"Since when do you knock?"

"Since I need about fifteen favors from you today."

"On a Saturday?"

"Yes," he nods.

"What do you need?"

"How long would it take for you to build a chuppah?"

"I don't know, why?"

"I need one by seven thirty."

"Ok. What for?"

"I'm getting to that. Will you give my bride away?"

"What?"

"I have decided that I want to get married, today."

"Does Ziva know?"

"Not yet. And I need to figure out how to get all the tourists away from the fountain at Yards Park."

"You're serious about this?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Don't ask, I can't tell you. She'll kill me."

"Ok."

"Ok you won't ask, or..."

"I'll help you."

"I..."

"I'll take care of the chuppah, and I'll give her away, and I'll take care of getting the tourists away from the fountain."

"Thanks."

"You've talked to Abby?"

"Yes."

"You're going to need McGee to keep Vance from finding out."

"I need to tell everyone. How..."

"Just call them, DiNozzo."

"Right," he nods.


	46. Fairy Tale

Tony arrives home about an hour later. He finds Ziva in the kitchen, putting dishes into the dishwasher.

"Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me why two dresses, and a couple of tuxes came while you were gone?"

"Damn, she's fast."

"Who?"

"Abby."

"Abby sent over dresses, and tuxes? What for? Is there some special occasion I should know about?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"They're for our wedding."

"Our wedding? When are we getting married?"

"Soon."

"I don't understand."

"You know how you told me earlier we're having a baby?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Well, we're getting married. Surprise!"

"That isn't a surprise. That was the plan."

"We're getting married, today."

"Today? You aren't serious."

"I am."

"You are ready to get married, just like that?"

"Yes."

"And all it took was me getting pregnant? I am surprised someone hasn't tried to trap you into marriage before, it that is all it takes."

"We are not getting married because you are pregnant."

"Then why are we getting married?"

"Because I love you."

"Ok.

"Ok? Just like that?"

"That should be enough."

He places some papers on the counter. "I need you to sign these. I need to get them back before close of business."

"You are unbelievable."

"You're upset? You don't want to get married today?"

"I..."

"If you don't I'll call everyone, and tell them it's off. If you're having cold feet, when can postpone it."

"I want this."

"Then sign the papers."

"Ok," she smiles.

"You should probably break the news to Hannah."

"News, what news?" Hannah questions as she comes into the room.

"We're getting married, today," Ziva reveals.

"I take it the test was positive."

"Hannah!"

Tony looks at Ziva, "She knows?"

"Of course she knows. She knows everything. At least she thinks she does."

"That isn't true. She doesn't know everything."

"I know a lot," Hannah retorts.

"You are wise beyond your years," Tony agrees.

"Is that my dress?" Hannah points to the dress, hanging on the closet door.

"Yes," Ziva nods.

Hannah looks to Tony, "Can I wear my sneakers, with the dress?"

"Ask your mother."

"Yes, Hannah, you can wear your sneakers."

Hannah grabs the dress, and runs up the stairs.

"I hope it is ok, that your father isn't giving you away."

"He can't, since he's dead. Not that I would want him to, anyway."

"I know, but it is my fault. I did shoot him."

"It's ok. I never pictured him walking me down the aisle, anyway. I can't honestly say that I ever pictured myself walking down the aisle."

"Then you found me."

"And I was convinced that I would never walk down the aisle."

"Ow, that hurts."

"I am sorry. I just never expected this."

"This?"

"Our life. I never would have imagined it, this way."

"There are a lot of things this way. There is something that I think I got right, though."

"You picked the right person."

"I didn't pick you."

"I didn't pick you," she argues.

"Hannah shoved us towards each other."

"What did you get right, then?"

"The replacement I found."

"For what?"

"To walk you down the aisle."

"And who is that, going to be?"

"Gibbs. I hope that is ok."

She smiles, "That is perfect."

"If everything isn't perfect, you can blame Abby. I left her in charge."

"I wouldn't blame Abby."

"Who would you blame?"

"You for thinking that it was sane to throw together a wedding in just a few hours."

"I can call it off. We can spend a year planning out ever excruciating detail. We'll fight about the location, and the guests, and the flowers, and the menu. We can have a huge celebration, with tons of people, that we don't even like. If that is what you want, just say the word."

"I don't want that."

"I am glad that you feel that way."

"It's not about the wedding, it's about the marriage."

"Good, I feel the same way."

"Really?"

"The wedding details are not that important."

"Why is that?"

"As long as you're there, I'll be perfectly happy."

"Don't be a sap."

"I blame your daughter for that."

"Because she makes you admit your feelings?"

"Absolutely. And, there is no lying to her."

Hours later he finds himself standing under a chuppah. Hannah stands off to his right, holding a bouquet, of white calla lilies. A few chairs are in front of him, filled with their closest friends. Behind him is the fountain. Lights illuminate the fountains. The minister stands next to him. Ziva's mother sits in the front row, holding her grandson.

He tugs at his collar, nervously. Finally he sees them. Gibbs smiles widely, as he walks arm, and arm, with Ziva. Tony smiles when he sees his bride. Her hair was down, in curls. She moves towards him, in a simple white dress, with an empire waist. Finally she joins him, at the altar. Gibbs takes his seat.

As the ceremony starts, Tony is too focused on his bride to hear the minister. He simply nods, and says _I do_, when the minister looks at him.


End file.
